How Herbert Wigwe’s passing almost stopped Bayelsa power project — Diri

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has shared the intricate journey behind the state's new gas-powered electricity project, highlighting a critical juncture where the untimely death of Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe nearly derailed the initiative. Wigwe was instrumental in the early stages of discussions with the state government regarding the project, and his passing in a 2024 plane crash left a significant void.

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Our gas turbine project is not dead as some insinuated. It was actually in its final stages.

The governor detailed how, after Wigwe's death, an alternative proposal for a ship-mounted power plant was presented, but he insisted on a land-based solution utilizing the state's abundant gas resources. This determination led to the development of the current gas turbine project, which is now in its final stages and undergoing test runs. Power has begun to reach parts of Yenagoa, the state capital, with plans to extend the supply to other areas imminently.

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As I speak, power is gradually getting to homes in parts of Yenagoa. I was reliably briefed that it had got to the Opolo axis and getting down to the NDDC state headquarters area. By today or tomorrow, it will get to the Kpansia axis and beyond.

Diri proudly described the new turbines as electronically controlled, capable of providing 24-hour electricity, a marked improvement over older, analogue systems. Despite initial challenges, such as aging transmission lines failing during energization, the project is progressing, promising a significant boost to the state's infrastructure and the daily lives of its residents. The successful commissioning by President Bola Tinubu on April 10 signifies a major breakthrough for the Diri administration's commitment to reliable power supply.

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This gas turbine is not like the one procured by our late leader, Chief Melford Okilo, at Imiringi. Those ones are now analogue. These ones are electronically controlled. So, it is an e-gas turbine. All of them have been tested, and they are ready to supply light day by day.