DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICITY AND COMMUNICATION
Ekiti State Electricity Board is an offshoot of the defunct Ondo State Electricity Board. Its existence came about as a result of the State creation in 1996. The Primary function of the Board is to extend electricity supply within the State especially to the rural communities that are yet to benefit from the activities of NEPA. In addition to this, the Board also maintains electrical installations and generating sets for government offices etc. including street lights, particularly in the State Capital.
The Board is a social services oriented outfit in that revenue accruing from electricity extension to towns and villages goes to NEPA and not the Board even where the Board carried out these extensions. The Board can also be tagged a security parastatal in that essential services are rendered to Government organisations (Government House, Governor's Office, sensitive Government Offices etc) through backup electricity power during NEPA outages.
1.0 FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD
1. To carry out rural electrification of communities not covered by the National Grid.
(vii) To carry out extension of Electricity in towns and villages arising from further development after initial electrification.
(viii) To construct independent power generating stations for distribution in
areas not covered by the activities of NEPA or when the supply from the latter is 
inadequate.
4. To purchase electricity for distribution to prospective consumers.
5. To carry out maintenance work all on the systems mentioned in 1-4 above.
(vii) To provide uninterrupted power supply as well as maintenance services to the
office of the Governor, Government House and all other Government offices.
(viii) To liaise with relevant Federal Government Ministries and agencies for improved Electricity supply and increased federal government presence in the area of Rural Electrification.
Note: These functions are either carried out directly by the staffers of the Board or by contractors under the supervision of the Board.
2.0 STRUCTURE OF THE BOARD
The Board is headed by a General Manager who oversees the daily operation of the Board. He is also the Accounting Officer/Chief Executive. The Board has at present, four (4) functioning Departments each headed by a Director. The Departments are:
(i) Finance and Administration Department
(ii) Design, Planning and Supervision Department
(vii) Construction Department
(viii) Operations and Maintenance Department
a. FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
This Department consists of three main Divisions viz:
(i) Personnel
(ii) Supplies
(iii) Accounts
The Department handles all personnel matters including among others staff requirements, discipline, promotion and general welfare of staff. It also overseas the financial administration of the Board with special emphasis on payment of salary & wages and other expenses as well as keep adequate financial record of all transactions.
b. DESIGN, PLANNING AND SUPERVISION DEPARTMENT
The Department is made up of two divisions viz:
(i) Planning and Design
(ii) Management and Supervision
The Department carries out design, Planning, Surveying and the costing of any Electrification Project to be embarked upon. It also prepares tender briefs and contract documents as and when necessary and also provides consultancy services for Government Agencies, Communities, companies and individuals. The Department also supervises all on-going projects both by contract and Direct Labour to ensure that each project is carried out in accordance with the design and specifications. It renders periodic reports on on-going projects awarded to contractors and prepares valuation certificates accordingly. It also liaise with Federal Ministries and Departments associated with Power generation and distribution.
2.3 CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT
The Department executes all direct labour jobs and contracts awarded to the Board. It has two divisions through which it carries out its functions viz:
(i) Direct Labour Division
(ii) Contracts Division
The Direct Labour executes all the Board's projects while the contracts Division bids for projects and execute them on contract basis when available.
2.4 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT
The Department is primarily responsible for maintenance of all Electrical network within government offices and quarters. It's also charged with the responsibility of installing, operating and maintaining generating sets owned by the State Government and put under the management of the Board in some Government establishments, such as Government House, Govemor's Office, all other government offices. and quarters.
4.0 COMPLETED PROJECTS
Quite a number of Rural Electrification Projects have been completed and commissioned in the past. Other projects that have been completed for improved electricity supply in the State include further extension of Electricity to areas that are just developing in the in the urban centres. Transformers have also been purchased by the state govt. to relief overloaded and faulty ones.
The State Government of recent procured 16Nos distribution transformers for relief in Ekiti State.
5.0 ON-GOING PROJECTS
Chief among the on-going projects that are either aimed at improving the existing system or provide electricity facilities to areas that has never enjoyed it before are:
(1) Extension of Electricity from Omuo to Isinbode as well as the Isinbode Rural Electrification Project.
(2) Extension of Electricity from Isinbode to Ode- Ekiti/Egbe Dam and Egbe township.
(3) Construction of dedicated feeder from Omu-aran in Kwara State to Otun - Ekiti, this is for the improvement of electricity to all the LGA's in the Ekiti North Senatorial District.
(4) Osan- Ekiti Rural Electrification Project in Moba LGA.
(5) Rural Electrification Project of Ipere - Ekiti has also been awarded and work will soon start at a
faster rate.
(6) Extension of Electricity supply to NTA Road to service the Government and Private residential
and commercial buildings.
6.0 NEW PROPOSED PROJECTS
Projects proposed for execution immediately after the on going ones are completed include the following:
(i) Rural electrification of Aso- Ayegunle
(ii) Rural electrification of Iro Ayeteju.
(iii) Ago Sasare, Ibeji-Owode, Ibeji-Shittu, Ose-Theo all in Emure Local Government Area of the State
(iv) More Transformers and conductors are proposed to be procured by the State Govt. to reinforce the existing NEPA network in the State.
7.0 ELECTRIFICATION PROJECTS IN EKITI STATE BY FEDERAL MINISTRY OF POWER & STEEL
(vii) Contract for extension of 132KV from Akure to Ado has been awarded to Siemens (Nig)
Ltd. Work is now in progress. While the Contract for the construction of 132/33KV
Transmission Station at Ado Ekiti was awarded to JKL. The company has carried out
substantial work. While a greater percentage of equipment required have arrived on site.
(viii) Federal Ministry of Power & Steel awarded contracts for rural electrification of the
following communities in Ekiti State on which work has reached various level of
completion.
(i) Omu, Ijelu, and Omu -odo in Oye LGA
(ii) lpao in Ikole LGA
(iii) Ewu in Ilejemeje LGA
(iv) Irele in Ikole LGA
(v) Improvement of existing network at Ido - Ekiti.
(vi) Oye - Ekiti NEPA supply improvement.
(vii) Improvement Electricity Network at Omuo- Ekiti/conversion of TDN from 33KV to 1 1KV network system.
(viii) Many other communities have been survey and the contract will be awarded soon by the Federal Govt.
8.0 STATE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO NEPA
The State Government had been assisting NEPA financially and with other logistics to ensure that uninterrupted power is supplied to every communities in Ekiti State.
Some of the areas where the State government has rendered assistance include.
(a) Provision of fund to hire crane lorry for the purpose of erecting damaged poles and mounting of new transformers.
(b) Provision of materials for the installations of new transformers donated either by NEPA or the State Government to boost the existing network.
(c) Plans are also on to see other areas of assistance in the trace maintenance of existing NEPA route and other inter-town connections.
9.0 CONSTRAINTS
1. The major constraints of the Board is lack of office accommodation. For the past seven years of the existence of the Board, it has not been able to secure an office accommodation but have to manage an open space at the Government Transport Pool/Agric Credit Agency Office Block. None of the principal officers of the Board, including the General Manager have an office to perform their duties.
2. The Board does not have roadworthy project vehicles to carry out investigation of new proposed projects as well as supervise/ execute on-going projects. The Board currently has one vehicle that can be termed roadworthy and this is grossly inadequate to carry out the enormous take of the Board.
3. The Board currently lack basic tools needed for effective performance of the statutory roles of extending electricity to every community of the State. Such tools include crane lorry (Hiab), Testing Machine of different categories and so on.
4. Another problem facing the Board is insufficient manpower. The Board is currently having about 50% required staff strength for effective performance. Cases abound where some members of staff works for 14hours a day and 7-days a week without a day off. Many staff have not had their annual leave for 2-3 years.
5. One of the primary functions of the Board is the provision of uninterrupted power supply to
government House and offices. However, irregular supply of diesel as well as delay in release of
fund for the running and maintenance of these generating sets creates great problems atimes.
6. Other problems confronting the Board regarding the Government House maintenance is the
duplication of our duty where reports on the state of Electricity supply at the complex comes from
two different quarters. This oftentimes creates misinformation and on many occasion resulting
into crisis.
SOLUTION
Solution to the above problems are very simple and they are as stated below:
1. Erection of a befitting office accommodation within GRA, the plan of which has been drawn, for optimum performance.
2. Provision of at least 2 Nos roadworthy vehicle for project investigation, supervision and monitoring.
3. Provision of Healthy Hiab crane lorry and other Testing equipment.
4. Immediate recruitment of qualified personnel to compliment the existing ones.
5. Prompt releases of fund for the purchase of diesel and maintenance of the generating sets directly to the Board (as done before 1999) alongside the monthly subvention of the Board.
6. Allow the Board to carry out the supervision, and maintenance of the equipment solely.