Maryam Aminu
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has accused the Imo State Government of failing to deliver on its promise of uninterrupted electricity supply, insisting that residents of the state continue to languish in darkness months after Governor Hope Uzodinma’s assurance of 24-hour power.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA described the governor’s pledge that Imo residents would enjoy uninterrupted electricity from November last year as a “mirage and phantom promise,” noting that the situation has worsened economic hardship across the state.
The rights group stated that only about 15 per cent of Imo residents are able to power their homes and businesses through expensive solar installations or by purchasing highly priced fuel and diesel to run generators, leaving the majority exposed to prolonged power outages.
HURIWA said its findings during the 2025 Christmas season across the Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe senatorial zones revealed that many indigenes who returned from different parts of the world spent heavily on alternative power sources.
According to the group, families spent an average of ₦250,000 on fuel during the Yuletide period, while thousands invested up to ₦3 million each to install solar power systems in their hometowns.
The association lamented that poorer and marginalised residents spent the festive period in total darkness, adding that erratic electricity supply has forced many small and medium-scale businesses out of operation.
It noted that even Owerri metropolis, where the test run of the electricity initiative was supposed to begin, did not experience any significant improvement.
HURIWA warned that the poor power situation has made the operation of small businesses such as restaurants, barbing salons, coffee shops and provision stores increasingly burdensome, as rising costs have driven customers away.
The group also expressed concern that the reliance on generators by hotels and hospitality businesses poses serious environmental and health risks due to pollution.
The rights group recalled that Governor Uzodinma had announced in October last year that Imo State would commence uninterrupted electricity supply from November, beginning with Owerri metropolis before extending to Orlu, Okigwe and Mbaise zones. The governor had attributed the initiative to the Urashi Power Plant Project and also announced tax exemptions for low-income earners, free transportation for retirees and students, and the deployment of CNG-powered metro buses on major routes.
While acknowledging the administration’s commitments to infrastructure development and insecurity, HURIWA expressed deep concern over the lingering security challenges in rural communities, particularly the failure to rebuild several police stations destroyed during past unrest.
The association described the reinvigoration of the Imo State vigilante group as a welcome development but called for strict oversight by the State House of Assembly.
It urged the establishment of an independent human rights monitoring commission to supervise the activities of vigilantes and prevent abuses against residents.
HURIWA challenged the Imo State Government to match promises with concrete action, insisting that accountability, transparency and improved living conditions remain critical to restoring public confidence in governance.
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