FEC: Adelabu briefs President on way forward in Power sector

Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu on Monday briefed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on how Nigeria can achieve uninterrupted power supply.

The briefing took place during the inaugural Federal Executive Council (FEC)meeting presided over by the President.

In a tweet by the Minister, Chief Adelabu said he joined other Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the  inaugural Federal Executive Council meeting (FEC)on Monday.

He described the FEC meeting as, “spirit-lifting experience with the evident urge and determination to lift Nigeria to a higher pedestal by all the FEC members”.

The Minister said he gave a synopsis of the activity plans of the ministry with regards to “turning around its reputation in line with achieving its mandate of driving community and economic growth by driving policies and programs to ensure reliable and affordable electricity to Nigerians”, at the meeting.

He noted that so many investments have gone into all segments of the power sector value chain without commensurate results in terms of output to end consumers.

“Each of the segments from generation, transmission to distribution has its unique and peculiar issues, the solution of which have to be prioritised for households and businesses to have a quick relief after years of deprivation”, he said.

Chief Adelabu said further, “we are currently analysing the issues, meeting the various stakeholders, and visiting sites to have a proper and unhindered understanding and unbiased diagnosis of the issues and proffer workable solutions, adding that in the next few weeks, the master plan for turning around the power sector with deliverables bucketed into short, medium, and long term would be unfolded. “This will be done in an elaborate press conference together with all industry stakeholders”.

The Minister also revealed that as part of his contributions during the meeting as a finance expert, he made suggestionsthat would aid in  addressing the ravaging inflation and exchange rate crisis, adding, “we are to work and collaborate with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and the Central Bank of Nigeria”, towards finding  lasting solutions to the problem.

Chief Adelabu said he also visited a former Minister, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola who had once held forth in the Ministry of Power , “in continuation of my stakeholders’consultation with unbiased, historical perspective to the power sector issues. It was a useful meeting with lots of revelation that will help us resolve the sectoral issues with workable solutions”.

Adelabu said the former Minister also promised to continue to support the Ministry of Power to achieve success, “in our new responsibilities”.

The new Minister reiterated his determination to succeed in the mandate he had been saddled with by the President. “As Minister of Power, I am determined to succeed in the onerous task of nation building. We will not disappoint Nigerians, we will not disappoint Mr President in this task. We are not saying it would be easy, but we are determined to succeed with the Almighty God on our side”, promising that, “in the coming days and weeks, Nigerians will start to see the result of our efforts in the Power Ministry. It is a promise from me to all Nigerians”, he concluded.