A bill to boost electricity supply in Imo State has passed its second reading in the State House of Assembly.
Presenting the bill for the second reading at the floor of the house, the majority leader, representing Owerri West State Constituency, Hon. Kanayo Onyemaechi stated that the bill if passed into law will go a long way to improve the general well being of the citizens.
The bill titled, ‘Light Up Imo Project’, according to the majority leader, emanated from the recently enacted electricity reform law number 2 of 2024, which was aimed at ensuring that the 27 LGAs in the State are provided with sustainable and reliable electricity supply.
He said that the State Government is already in partnership with Orashi Electricity Company which has signed Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU), maintaining that the bill if passed will give teeth to the partnership by providing a legal framework for its sustainability.
“The main objective of the bill is to facilitate the rehabilitation, expansion and maintenance of the State electricity infrastructures, ensuring stable power generation, transmission and distribution throughout the LGAs in the State for enhancement of socio-economic activities,” he said.
The Owerri West lawmaker further said that the bill if passed will make it difficult for both the State Government and Orashi Electricity Company to back out from the agreement, noting that any defaulter will pay back every damage and loss incurred on the process.
He enjoined the members to give the bill an accelerated passage considering its human importance.
The bill, which gained general support from the members, was passed for the second time and referred to the House Committee on power for further necessary legislative action.