In a bid to ensure that indigenes and residents of Ukwa West Local Government Area in Abia State enjoy the forthcoming yuletide, some prominent sons and daughters of the area have taken it upon themselves to restore electricity light to their people.
Ukwa West, which is the only oil producing area in Abia State has been without light in the past five years in spite of its economic contributions to the state.
In an interview with Newsportal, the immediate past Mayor of Ukwa West, Mr. Newman Azu, said that it was pitiable that all efforts made by the traditional rulers and the various community Chairmen while he was in office were yet to yield desired results. He recalled that the several meetings he had with the traditional rulers and community heads towards offsetting the outstanding electricity bills could not yield much result. According to him, Geometric, the company in charge of power distribution in Aba and its environs, had insisted that the outstanding bills needed to be cleared before light could be restored to Ukwa West Local Government Area.
Azu disclosed that out of the almost N38 million outstanding bill, the communities have been able to raise only N8 million, which has been paid to Geometric.
He, therefore, called on all patriotic indigenes of Asa land to take advantage of the opportunity created at the moment to donate towards realising their target of N30 million.
The former Mayor, who said handsome contributions have started coming into the special account created for the purpose, expressed confidence that their target of N30 million would be met.
Information available to Newsportal revealed that contributions have come in from the following persons; Chief Lucky Ogbuji, N1,000,000, Engr. Okezie Uleh, N1,000,000, Dr. Mrs Victoria Ogbuji, N1,000,000, Mr. Newman Azu, N1,000,000 and Engr. Adinigwe Nwoke, N500,000: