Joseph Bakare
The Minister of Power, Mr Saleh Mamman, has disclosed the country has lifted its installed grid power generation capacity from 8,000 Megawatts, MW, to 13,000 MW.
Mamman, on Wednesday, October 28, during the 2021 budget defence before the House of Representatives Committee on Power in Abuja, lauded efforts of president Muhammadu Buhari in achieving the feat.
He also said that the distribution system now has the capacity to evacuate 5,500 MW of power having grown from 4,500mw in 2015.
“Under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, the country’s grid power capacity has increased significantly; from the time this administration took over in 2015 to date.
“During the period between 2015 to date, the sector has recorded successes and has faced challenges.
“In order to deliver this administration’s promise of providing stable and affordable power to Nigerians; a way forward was defined and supported by Mr President’s political will,” he said.
However, the Committee expressed displeasure with the minister for not ensuring sanctions for Distribution Companies (DisCos); for alleged “gross irresponsibility and wickedness in the execution of their contract”.
The Chairman of the Committee, Alliyu Magaji (APC-Jigawa), asked the minister to met out stiffer sanctions to the DisCos; to enable them to sit up and provide the desired services to Nigerian people.
Magaji said that if the Minister ensured the sanction of the DisCos; he would highly appreciated by the lawmakers and the entire Nigerians.
The Chairman informed the Minister that as far as the House was concerned, the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) was still under the purview of his committee.
The rep said that the purported transfer of the parastatal to the Ministry of Finance was unacceptable to the legislators.
Members of the Committee also raised concern about power supply to their various constituencies; urging the minister to ensure supply.