Lighting Up Lives: Governor Okpebholo Powers Edo’s Forgotten Communities
In a transformative move aimed at ending decades of power neglect, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has launched an ambitious rural electrification programme, reconnecting abandoned communities to the national grid and ushering in a new era of grassroots development.
Driven by the Edo State Electrification Agency (ESEA), the initiative has already brought electricity to villages like Ibore, Atuagbo, Ugbaro, and Ikilor — with the latter receiving power for the first time in its history.
Locals have welcomed the development with open arms, even cooking meals for contractors and celebrating the light as a communal victory.
At the heart of the programme is a new electricity law recently signed by the governor, which deregulates the sector, empowers the state to license power providers, and invites private investment into local generation and distribution. “This is not just reform — it’s a revolution,” said ESEA Director-General, Hon. Saturday Egbadon.
To ensure sustainability, the state is leveraging public-private partnerships and addressing key challenges such as estimated billing and infrastructure vandalism.
Every connected household must now be metered, and residents have just 10 working days to receive meters after payment.
According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Fred Itua, beyond power, the programme is rekindling hope, boosting rural economies, and cementing Governor Okpebholo’s commitment to inclusive development that reaches even the most remote communities.
