As part of efforts to achieve accelerated success across agencies under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities (MIPU) in 2025, the State Commissioner of the Ministry, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko has charged all the Heads of the seven Agencies under the Ministry (EKSEB, EKSERB, TCN, EFS, EWSC, EKSTRUWASSA, WASRA) and five Imolementing agencies (MIPU, ESWC, WASRA, Small-Town Dept, RUWASSA Dept.) under the World-Bank-funded SURWASH PforR programme to better coordinate their activities towards ensuring infrastructural development in the State.
At two forums held in his office, Ado Ekiti aimed at discussing ways to deliver core missions according to their plans and budgets,
Aluko emphasized the need for a collaborative effort to improve electricity and water supply, Sanitation, hygiene and fire services across the State.
He highlighted the importance of supplying adequate pipe-borne water across the state through Ero and Egbe Dams first to immediate surrounding communities, and from Ureje to the capital Ado-Ekiti, adding that plans were afoot to expand power to these dams both from the grid and dedicated power plants and to increase the capacity of the Independent Power Plant operating in Ado-Ekiti from 2.6 megawatts to 5 megawatts.
The Commissioner stressed the need for metering individual users of the Independent Power Plant, calling on public water sector to synergize with the Ekiti Water and Sanitation Regulatory Agency for licensing and proper registration towards ensuring improved service delivery to the public.
Prof.Aluko suggested establishing an effective Utilities Infractions Tribunal Court to address vandalism, transformer oil,water theft and electricity by meter bypass and other means, in order to prevent losses and ensure sustainability of utilities service delivery.
The General Manager of Ekiti State Small Town, Rural Water and Sanitation Agency, Mr. Ayo Alegbeleye was tasked with revisiting monitoring schedules across the hundreds of sites of intervention to ensure the functionality level of the borehole facilities and WASH in institutions that have been or were being constructed and rehabilitated under SURWASH Programme for necessary verification that would enhance disbursement according to the SURWASH design.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Olumide Ajayi emphasized the need for greater collaboration between the agencies under the Ministry with electricity Discos to provide electricity to the dams.
He also called for utilities geo-mapping in the state to avoid incessant damage to water pipelines and electricity cables during road construction.
The two meetings ended with all the Accounting Officers and management officials pledging greater effort in 2025 towards fulfilling all programme missions.