POWER OUTAGES EMBARRASS OTU, DEPUTY, AFRICAN DELEGATES AT AsFNET MEETING IN CALABAR
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By: Muftau Fatimo
Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, his deputy, Dr Peter Odey, and several African government representatives were reportedly embarrassed as persistent power outages disrupted the sixth edition of the African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AsFNET) meeting in Calabar.
The blackouts, which reportedly occurred more than 20 times during the three-day event, repeatedly interrupted proceedings attended by government officials from various African countries, representatives of Nigerian states and members of the organised private sector.
One of the most embarrassing incidents occurred during the presentation of the event’s communiqué by Governor Otu, when another power outage abruptly interrupted his delivery.
Visibly uncomfortable, the governor was forced to pause his presentation and apologise to members of the Governors’ Forum and other dignitaries over the recurring electricity interruptions.
Foreign delegations from Comoros, Kenya, Tanzania, The Gambia and South Africa attended the gathering, alongside representatives from Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna and other Nigerian states.
The meeting, which was organised to strengthen cooperation among sub-national governments and attract investments to participating states, was ironically overshadowed by persistent electricity challenges in the host state.
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The frequent outages also reportedly unsettled members of the organised private sector and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), particularly as Cross River was using the event to showcase its investment opportunities to potential partners.
Some state government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, reportedly blamed the embarrassment on the event organisers, insisting that adequate funds had been released to ensure the successful hosting of the three-day gathering.
However, private sector representatives and MAN officials reportedly maintained that their organisations had also made substantial financial contributions towards the event.
The development has sparked calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the repeated power failures, with some participants demanding the removal of officials found culpable.
The persistent blackouts have reportedly left an unfavourable impression on visiting dignitaries and business operators at an event designed to promote Cross River State as an attractive destination for investment.
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