*Electricity workers call for national roundtable on sector’s challenges
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu has decried the gas shortages in the country, saying that the federal government is also working to ensure that operators in the electricity value chain in the country have priority access to foreign exchange supply for their operations.
This is coming as the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), has urged the federal government to call for a national roundtable on the power sector in a bid to rescue it from the current doldrums.
Writing on his X handle on his recent visit to Egbin Power Station in Lagos, Adelabu stated that discussions were going on with the relevant ministries to ensure that the problem is sorted out as soon as possible.
Adelabu stressed that discussions were ongoing with the ministry of petroleum resources to ameliorate the challenge, reiterating his earlier pledge to ensure the gradual payment of the over N3 trillion owed Gencos from April.
“During my recent visit to the Egbin Power Plant, I reiterated that we have conducted a thorough diagnosis of the challenges currently facing our power sector in Nigeria. These challenges range from infrastructure limitations to supply chain constraints, and we are taking urgent action to address them and enhance power supply across the country.
“To this end, the federal government is fully committed to implementing proactive measures. Starting in April, we will prioritise the settlement of outstanding debts owed to power plants like Egbin Power. By doing so, our goal is to provide incentives for the continuous operation of these crucial facilities and to enhance their overall efficiency.
“Moreover, we acknowledge the importance of ensuring that power generation companies have access to essential foreign exchange for their maintenance and operations. This access is crucial for sustaining and improving power output on a national scale.
“We are taking decisive steps to facilitate this access, recognising its critical role in the broader context of our energy infrastructure,” he stated in the write-up posted late Friday night.
He added that his ongoing discussions with the ministry of petroleum resources and gas suppliers were centred on addressing gas supply constraints and facilitating debt repayment.
According to him, through collaborative efforts with all stakeholders, the federal government is dedicated to finding solutions that will benefit the entire sector and contribute to its long-term sustainability.
The shortage of gas, he said, has posed a significant obstacle to the operation of gas-powered plants nationwide.
But he added that through close collaboration with the ministry of petroleum resources and gas suppliers, he was “working diligently” to tackle the issues and ensure a reliable gas supply for power generation.
Adelabu stated that he also commissioned two projects during the visit: The environment-friendly electric vehicles project and expansion projects on staff quarters named after President Bola Tinubu.
He also lauded the team at Egbin Power for their “unwavering commitment” to improving and maintaining infrastructure, despite facing numerous challenges, pointing out that their dedication plays a crucial role in strengthening the resilience of the power sector and ensuring its continued operation.
Meanwhile, NUEE has urged the federal government to call for a national roundtable on the power sector in a bid to rescue it from the current doldrums.
National President of the union, Adebiyi Adeyeye in a statement yesterday condemned the epileptic power supply in Nigeria, describing the situation as unpalatable and unbearable.
He urged Tinubu to call a roundtable of all major stakeholders in the power sector to find solutions to the problem, insisting that the government must be willing to make substantial changes where necessary.
The unionist decried the exit of major companies from Nigeria due to the harsh business environment, attributing this partly to poor power supply.
“I’m aware that last month, the federal government issued a marching order, asking the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to withdraw licences of non-performing electricity Distribution Companies (Discos). Both the generating and transmission companies must also be ready to show commitment. You can only distribute what is available.”
“Since the privatisation of the power sector in November 2013, all of the hope and expectations that privatisation will add value to the life of the poor and bring meaningful impact and improvement to the power sector has been dashed. The myriad of problems bedevilling the sector prior to the privatisation exercise has worsened and increased in multiple folds,” he explained.
He observed that the output of the Gencos had been dwindling, with just 4,300MW as of yesterday, coupled with incessant collapse of the national grid, describing it as unfortunate.
