The news that electricity had finally returned to Utagba-Ogbe in Ndokwa West after 16 years in darkness should have been a moment of celebration for Delta State. For residents who have lived for nearly two decades without stable power, the announcement by the Commissioner for Energy, Engr. Michael Anoka, during the Free Medical Outreach of the You Matter Charity Foundation, came as a long-awaited sigh of relief.
According to the Commissioner, the restoration was completed under the direct directive of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and that the lights were back on to support households, businesses, and the general economic life of Kwale and its environs.
That statement, if true, deserves commendation. But truth in governance is not measured by press statements or podium declarations. It is measured by what the people see in their homes, shops, and streets when night falls. As at the time of this editorial, independent checks and reports from residents of Utagba-Ogbe and across Kwale indicate a different reality: There is still no power supply. Homes remain dark. Businesses still run on generators. The 16-year wait continues.
This contradiction raises a troubling question: Why would a Commissioner of Energy stand before his people and announce a restoration that has not happened?
We do not make this assertion lightly. For 16 years, Utagba-Ogbe has been a symbol of infrastructural neglect in Ndokwa West. The people have endured, adapted, and kept hope alive that one day, government would remember them. To raise their hopes with a public declaration, only for darkness to persist, is to add insult to injury.
Public office is a trust. When Engr. Anoka spoke at an event hosted by Her Excellency, Mrs. Tobore Oborevwori, he spoke not as a private citizen, but as the chief energy officer of Delta State. His words carry the weight of government.
If the restoration was incomplete, the honourable thing would have been to say so. To say, “Work is ongoing, and we are committed to completing it.” Instead, a categorical announcement of restoration was made. Is this an attempt to save face before the Governor? Is it an attempt to create the impression of performance where none yet exists? If so, it is a dangerous precedent. Governance by optics erodes public trust faster than non-performance itself.
The implications go beyond embarrassment. Businesses in Kwale that may have made investment decisions based on this announcement will be disappointed. Students who hoped to read at night will go back to lanterns. Health centers that anticipated stable power for cold chain storage will remain in limbo.
More importantly, this incident undermines the credibility of the Oborevwori administration’s “MORE Agenda.” Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has repeatedly emphasized transparency, accountability, and delivery. He cannot afford to have appointees whose public statements contradict the lived experience of the people.
It’s imperative for the Commissioner for Energy to immediately issue a factual update on the actual status of the Utagba-Ogbe power project. What has been completed? What remains? What is the timeline? Sixteen years without power is a generational burden. It should not be compounded by 16 minutes of misleading information.
Engr. Anoka still has an opportunity to turn this moment around, not by defending a statement, but by delivering the light he announced. The people of Utagba-Ogbe are not asking for miracles. They are asking for truth, and for electricity. Anything less is a disservice to them, and to the office you occupy. The lights must come on. And when they do, let it be real.
