20 August 2019
The dream of making Calabar, the capital of Cross River, the first city in the country to enjoy 24 hour uninterrupted power supply edged closer to reality at the weekend as the 23 megawatts power plant built by Governor Ben Ayade began to evacuate power to the city.
Ayade, who was on hand to witness the feat, described it as the fulfillment of a dream.
The visibly excited governor said the project like his other projects was not only borne out of passion but was simply a response to a divine calling.
According to him, “Cross Riverians can see my passion has not changed, so I wasn't doing this project because I was seeking re-election. I was doing what I was doing because I believed that that was what God brought me here to do. I am happy.
“Today I'm excited because it is the first time we are evacuating power to the public. My office has enjoyed steady power supply since the evacuation of power started.
“So interestingly, Calabar will be the first city to have uninterrupted power supply even as we get ready to commission our Calabar Smart City project that will also make it the first smart city in the country. “
He said the completion of the power plant shows that "the spirit of commitment was indeed stronger than any amount of money, because I don't know where Cross River would have got $25M to put up the plant with all that it required".
Governor Ayade assured the residents of the city that the cost of electricity from the plant will be affordable as according to him, Cross River will encourage the federal government to give her a discount to pay 22 percent of the cost of running the plant.
He disclosed that his administration is setting up a electricity meter production company in Obudu to supply meters to the people at no cost as part of social services to them.
"This power plant is not an investment, it is a social service. We just want to meet our basic consumption cost element and once we do that, we are fine.
“There can't be anything better with Christmas approaching and Calabar having 24hours electricity supply.”
The 23 megawatt power plant on test run evacuated power to the Governor’s Office, the state Water Board, Calabar Industrial Park, 8 Miles, Akai Efa, State Housing Estate as well as powering all the street light in the Calabar metropolis.
