You will have a steady power supply - Fashola reassures Nigerians

- Babatunde Fashola, the power, works and housing minister, is assuring Nigerians of steady power supply

- Fahola, who spoke in Akwa Ibom state, argues that the power sector recovery programme put in place by the ministry and other stakeholders was beginning to yield results

- Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom says his administration is working on digitalised meters for the people of his state

Nigeria’s power, works and housing minister, Babatunde Fashola has reassured the people of the country that they would experience steady power supply just as he explained that the federal government was making efforts in that direction.

Fashola reportedly spoke at the 25th monthly power sector meeting on Monday, March 12, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.

According to him, the power sector recovery programme put in place by the ministry and other stakeholders was beginning to yield results.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the minister as saying that the federal government had secured the World Bank approval for 486 million dollars Transmission Company of Nigeria expansion funding.

“Progress is being made with the same bank for the rural electrification and distribution expansion Funding.

“Clearly, our implemental power initiative is well underway, some jobs are manifesting and the promise of steady power is real.

“If we persevere, I am certain that we will witness uninterrupted power, which is the final destination of our journey,” he said adding that the Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP), policies, actions and programmes were “meant to solve the power problems.

“One of the results is the regulation that will democratise access to meters for power sector customers.

“We have reached a 7,000 Megawatts (MW) generation capacity and have a 5,000 MW distribution capacity, what is newsworthy is that in the last month, we have met with Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), DisCos, and GenCos.

“On how to implement the eligible customer policy and increase connectivity to the 2,000 MW that is available, in many parts of the country connected to the grid, citizens’ feedback is positive, even though all the problems are not solved.

“Citizens acknowledge more power in dry weather, reduced hours of running their generators and reduction in fuel (diesel and petrol) purchase to power generators.”

The report said Fashola described solar energy as cleaner and more efficient source of power, emphasising that in many states, solar power is being accepted and used and added that consumers were already embracing the solar power generation plan, an initiative of the government to boost electricity.

The minister said that the country was moving away from theorising power to actual provision of efficient power to support trade and business, especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

He also inaugurated the meter asset provider regulation 2018, and presented a copy of the regulation to Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom.

Governor Emmanuel, while speaking, said his administration was working toward the provision of digitalised meters in the state, adding that by 2019, every household in the state would be using a digitalised meter.

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According to the governor, the metering company in the state would solve the four million meters need of the country.

He called on the federal government to take advantage of the metering company existing in the state. He warned against vandalism of power installations, adding that the state government would wage a war on vandals to protect the infrastructure in the sector.

“The major cardinal point when we did our five-point agenda that anchored on industrialisation is also the drive that we are doing on electricity generation and distribution,” he said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the electricity challenges in the Nigeria may stretch and worsen as the Power Generation Companies in Nigeria (GENCOs) filed a lawsuit against the federal government before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, over alleged preferential treatment to two of its competitors with the intention to destroy its business growth and prosperity.

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Source: Legit.ng