The Anthony Banigo led Bonny Youth Federation (BYF) says it was working in concert with the Bonny Utility Company (BUC) to checkmate the recent incessant blackouts being experienced in Bonny Island. 

Banigo, who disclosed this on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 in a telephone chat with Kristina Reports in Bonny, Rivers State, said the collaboration was the outcome of a strategic meeting between the BYF Executive and the BUC Management.

He stated that at the meeting, the BYF leadership expressed its dissatisfaction and the unhappiness of the people of Bonny over the deplorable power situation, pointing out that abrupt power failures and incessant trips have, in many cases, damaged appliances and gadgets belonging to residents. 

He stated that Bonny Youth Federation implored the management of BUC to ensure that the power issue is resolved and normalcy is returned to the Kingdom, informing that, although unconfirmed, there were rumours of planned peaceful demonstrations by the Bonny people because of the poor power situation. 

Urging the company to try and ensure that the power situation is sorted so that such protests do not come to fruition, Banigo said BYF leadership also used the occasion to touched on the subject of the employment chances for qualified Bonny youths as well as industrial training attachments for Bonny students. 

He charged the BUC to make serious efforts at improving the safety and quality of water being supplied to residents of Bonny Kingdom, assuring that the BYF will join forces with the BUC to combat vandals and criminals who specialize in stealing valuable equipment and assets of the BUC. 

Responding, the General Manager of BUC, Dominic Dung, regretted the damages to residents’ appliances due to power failure and incessant trips, assuring that the power situation will improve as soon as the commissioning of the new 10megawatts Transmission Line is completed. 

He notified the BYF delegation of the proposed installation of three new transformers at Abalamabie, Eagle Forest and Waterwell axis to improve power supply, stating that plans are underway for a new water treatment plant to be built at Eagle Forest to ensure safe water supply.

Dung informed the BYF that the load shedding was a stop gap measure and will be sustained pending the commissioning of the new 10megawatts transmission line while work will continue to prevent power outages that could cause further damage to appliances and equipment. 

Assuring the BYF leadership of improved relationship and communication between the BYF and BUC, especially, on job openings and Industrial Training placements for students, Dominic Dung disclosed that the BUC needs an extra 10megawatts of electricity to distribute across Bonny, adding that the 20megawatts obtainable from Shell and NLNG is no longer sustainable. 

He said that it is known that the Train7 program by the NLNG has encouraged the migration of people to the island and by patronizing hotels for their workers in the kingdom, revenue is being generated but explained that the kingdom would fare better if they did more.