Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has urged the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc (PHED) to align its operations with the state’s electricity policy, stressing that reliable power supply is critical to attracting investment and driving industrial growth.
Eno made the call on at the weekend when he received the board and management of PHED at Government House, Uyo, where he linked dependable electricity to the success of his administration’s ARISE Agenda.
According to the governor, the state’s gas resources, power generation capacity and industrial potential could not deliver meaningful economic benefits without a stable electricity supply.
“Reliable electricity is central to our ARISE Agenda. As a matter of fact, our gas resources, generation capacity, industrial potentials, all must attract investment and drive growth. None of them can work without power, and that is how crucial it is,” he said.
Eno said the state government was interested in building a power environment capable of supporting businesses, industries and other economic activities, adding that effective collaboration with the distribution company was necessary to achieve the objective.
He therefore called for a review of PHED’s strategy to ensure that its operations were consistent with the state’s electricity policy and the administration’s broader economic development plans.
The governor’s position places electricity supply at the centre of the state’s efforts to leverage its energy resources and create conditions for increased private-sector investment.
He said stronger cooperation between the state government and PHED would help create a more predictable electricity environment and support the growth of enterprises across Akwa Ibom.
