Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, Bayelsa’s information commissioner, says progress is being made to restore power to the state.

Bayelsa was thrown into darkness on July 29 following the vandalisation of the 132 KVA twin circuit transmission towers that fed the state.

The commissioner said contractors handling the damaged transmission towers at Okogbe axis of the East West road were working round the clock to restore electricity to Bayelsa.

Ms Koku-Obiyai spoke on Friday during an on-the-spot assessment of work at Okogbe along the East-West Road in Rivers.

She expressed optimism that power would be restored soon and urged residents to exercise patience as the government was aware of the pain it had caused residents.

She explained that discussions were ongoing between Rivers and Bayelsa and the Transmission Company of Nigeria to checkmate the activities of vandals to avoid a reoccurrence.

Ms Koku-Obiyai commended the TCN and contractors handling the job for their commitment to ensuring that power was restored to the state at the nearest possible time.

TCN management had on September 26 assured that it would need an additional six weeks to complete repairs on the vandalised transmission line.

Also, Olive Kemenanabo, general manager of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, urged contractors to complete the work within the six-week timeline given to the Bayelsa government.

One of the contractors, Musa Mustapha, said two of the three towers designated for installation had been completed earlier.

He expressed hope that the remaining one would be completed within the stipulated timeline.

The prolonged power outage across Bayelsa had paralysed economic activities amongst micro, small and medium business operators amid the current cost of petrol at N1,300 per litre.

(NAN)