The acclaimed Ossiomo Power Project, widely showcased as a flagship achievement of former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, has been exposed as a privately owned facility, with revelations confirming that the state government holds no ownership stake in the power plant.
This startling disclosure emerged during a stakeholders’ meeting organized by the Edo State Electrification Agency on Tuesday at the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), Benin City, where officials clarified that the government is merely a customer of the facility.
The Managing Director of the agency, Hon. Saturday Egbadon, explained that the Ossiomo plant was never a state-owned enterprise but a private venture structured under the immediate past administration.
“The government of Edo State is simply a customer of Ossiomo Power, as established by the last administration. The current shutdown is the outcome of a commercial dispute between Ossiomo Power and its Chinese partner, CCETC, not an action of the state government,” Egbadon stated.
He further disclosed that the Ossiomo management failed to notify Governor Monday Okpebholo before shutting down its Ologbo facility, a move that has plunged government offices, hospitals, institutions, and private businesses into darkness since September 1, 2025.
In response, the state government swiftly engaged the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to assume supply responsibilities for all consumers previously connected to Ossiomo’s 11KV lines, including the State Secretariat, Government House, major hospitals, and private subscribers.
Commending BEDC’s swift action, Egbadon said:
“We must appreciate the BEDC management for their swift response and for waiving the usual paperwork and bureaucracy to ensure power was restored to critical state facilities.”
Representing BEDC, Engr. Kingsley Atseyinku, Acting Chief Technical Officer, assured that stranded Ossiomo customers would be migrated to Band A feeders, guaranteeing 20–24 hours daily supply.
Some customers expressed relief at the intervention. Barr. Adesuwa Omonuwa, a long-time subscriber, remarked:
“I have been with Ossiomo from inception and was satisfied before these problems emerged. Today’s meeting has given us hope, and if all promises are kept, customers will no longer endure days of blackout.”
The 95MW gas-fired Ossiomo Power Plant had been celebrated as a bold step to address Edo’s power challenges, supplying electricity to government facilities, industries, hotels, streetlights, and the NUJ Secretariat. However, the latest revelations strip the project of its government-backed legacy status, exposing it as a private commercial arrangement with limited state leverage.
The controversy has now raised serious questions about transparency, sustainability, and accountability in projects presented as flagship state initiatives.
Reported by: Stone Reporters News
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