Labour Party Senatorial Candidate for Abia North, Chief David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex, MFR, OON, has declared that no society can attain genuine economic prosperity without reliable electricity, insisting that stable power supply remains the single most important catalyst for industrial growth, innovation, job creation and sustainable development.
Speaking during the fourth edition of Bourdex Hour, the respected entrepreneur, philanthropist and telecommunications pioneer presented what many observers described as one of his most comprehensive policy conversations yet, explaining why electricity should no longer be viewed merely as a utility for lighting homes but as the foundation upon which prosperous societies are built.
According to Bourdex, nations that have transformed their economies throughout history all shared one common factor, they invested heavily in reliable energy infrastructure.
He argued that while roads connect communities to opportunities, electricity converts those opportunities into wealth and lasting prosperity.
“Without roads, people cannot move. Without electricity, economies cannot move. Roads prepare the path; electricity powers the journey,” he stated.
He described electricity as the “heartbeat of development,” explaining that hospitals, schools, industries, telecommunications, water systems, digital technology, agriculture and virtually every productive sector depend on stable power supply.
Bourdex challenged the common perception that electricity simply provides illumination.
Instead, he explained that electricity determines whether students receive quality education, whether hospitals save lives, whether businesses survive and whether young entrepreneurs can compete in the modern economy.
Using practical examples, he contrasted two young secondary school girls with identical intelligence and ambition.
One studies comfortably under reliable electricity with access to computers and internet resources, while the other struggles with lantern light because power is unavailable.
According to him, the difference between both children is not intelligence or determination but infrastructure.
“The opportunity available to each child is determined largely by the environment in which they live,” he noted.
Drawing from his decades of experience as founder of Bourdex Telecommunications, one of the earliest indigenous telecommunications companies in Nigeria’s former Eastern Region, Bourdex recalled how unstable electricity forced businesses to spend huge amounts on diesel-powered generators.
He revealed that during his years in telecommunications, every switching station, transmission facility and communication tower depended entirely on uninterrupted electricity.
Whenever public power failed, expensive generators immediately took over.
According to him, every litre of diesel consumed represented money that could have expanded the business, employed more workers or improved service delivery.
Instead, businesses were forced to spend enormous resources simply trying to survive.
“The cost of unreliable electricity is never paid by businesses alone. Eventually, customers, families and the entire economy bear that burden,” he explained.
He added that countries enjoying reliable electricity naturally produce cheaper goods, attract greater investments and create more employment opportunities than countries struggling with unstable power.
Bourdex disclosed that throughout his years in business, serious investors rarely begin discussions by asking about tax incentives.
Rather, their first concern is whether reliable electricity exists.
Without power, he said, factories become warehouses, computers become expensive furniture and brilliant ideas remain trapped in people’s minds because they lack the energy needed to become successful enterprises.
“It is the oxygen of modern enterprise,” he declared.
One of the strongest arguments made during the programme was Bourdex’s insistence that governments must stop treating electricity as mere public expenditure.
Instead, he described every investment in power infrastructure as an economic investment capable of generating multiple returns.
He explained that once electricity reaches rural communities, numerous economic activities naturally emerge.
Rice mills, cassava processing factories, welding workshops, furniture industries, ICT centres, cold rooms, tailoring businesses, digital hubs, water factories and other enterprises begin operating efficiently.
As businesses expand, employment rises, household incomes improve, land values increase and governments eventually recover their investments through increased economic activity and tax revenues.
“Government is not merely supplying electricity. Government is creating an economy,” he emphasized.
Projecting his vision for Abia North, Bourdex painted an ambitious picture of an economically vibrant region driven by reliable electricity.
He envisioned agro-processing centres operating across Arochukwu, modern rice mills in Bende, cassava processing plants in Umunneochi, industrial clusters in Ohafia and digital innovation hubs in Isuikwuato where young software developers can work remotely for international companies without relocating abroad.
He equally imagined hospitals performing uninterrupted surgeries, schools operating fully digital classrooms and technical institutions producing globally competitive graduates.
According to him, such aspirations are achievable once electricity becomes a strategic development priority.
Responding to questions on the role of a senator in electricity development, Bourdex explained that lawmakers may not erect electricity poles or install transmission lines directly, but they possess enormous influence through legislation, budget appropriation, oversight and strategic partnerships.
He promised that effective representation would involve attracting federal electricity projects, ensuring abandoned projects are completed, advocating for rural electrification and creating laws that encourage private investment in renewable energy and embedded power generation.
He stressed that development succeeds when federal and state governments collaborate rather than compete.
Bourdex also commended Governor Dr. Alex Chioma Otti for prioritising infrastructure and economic renewal across Abia State, saying his role in the Senate would be to complement those efforts by attracting more federal support to Abia North.
The Labour Party candidate devoted significant attention to the future of young people, arguing that the global economy has entered the age where knowledge has become the world’s most valuable resource.
He noted that artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, software development, digital finance and cloud computing all depend entirely on reliable electricity.
According to him, talented young Nigerians can compete globally only if they operate in an environment supported by stable power.
“Our young people should not merely consume technology. They should become creators of technology,” he said.
Beyond economics, Bourdex reminded listeners that electricity directly affects healthcare and family wellbeing.
He described hospitals where life-saving surgeries, incubators, oxygen systems, blood banks and laboratories depend on uninterrupted electricity.
He equally highlighted the importance of electricity in preserving food, ensuring access to clean water, supporting children’s education and improving family security.
According to him, good leadership should remove unnecessary burdens from citizens, while reliable electricity remains one of the greatest ways government can improve everyday life.
As the programme ended, Bourdex delivered what many listeners considered its defining message.
He said electricity should no longer be seen merely as wires carrying current into homes.
Instead, every light switched on represents another child studying, another entrepreneur succeeding, another patient surviving and another family earning a better living.
“Electricity does not simply power equipment. It powers possibilities,” he concluded.
He urged Nigerians to remain hopeful, insisting that the country’s abundant human talent, entrepreneurial spirit and natural resources can produce lasting prosperity once supported by reliable infrastructure, particularly stable electricity.
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