The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, on Saturday said that the federal government was committed to ending the estimated billing syndrome in the nation’s power sector.

He made this known on Saturday at the groundbreaking ceremony of the power sub-station in Orogun, Ughellli North Local Government Area of Delta.

The project is being constructed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and National Integrated Power Power Project (NIPP).

“I remind the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) of its obligation to customers and the government regarding the mass metering initiative of the federal government aimed at ending the era of estimated billing syndrome.

“All over the world, you pay for the energy you consume. The only obligation government has is to provide the enabling environment for it to be made available,” Mr Omo-Agege said.

He said that the federal government was committed to addressing energy poverty in the country through mass metering, adding that the establishment of the power sub-station was one of the several initiatives of President Buhari’s administration to make electricity available to Nigerians.

Mr Omo-Agege described energy as the backbone for the social and economic development of any nation as well as an enabler for industrial and improved health care delivery.

The senator said that the establishment of the power sub-station would promote research and development in the recently approved Federal Polytechnic in Orogun.

“Earlier, we leveraged on the vision of this administration in the power sector to provide transformers to several communities in our Senatorial District to improve the energy availability and supply to our people.

“We have already provided solar-power street lights across most communities in Delta Central Senatorial District.

“We are looking forward to doing more when the implementation of the 2021 budget begins,” he said.

Also, the managing director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Chiedu Ugbo, said that the power station would help regulate the power voltage.

“The station has the capability to regulate its voltage to the normal level. It will also create employment for the teeming youth of this community,” Mr Ugbo said.

(NAN)