Power Minister Blames Past Leaders, Vandalism To Power Sector Crisis 

Joseph Bakare

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says past leaders in the power sector failed to do the right thing in the past 60 years which is why the sector is still passing through several challenges.

He also, traced the problem to vandalism saying it is shameful Nigeria with over 200 million population is still generating 5,000 megawatts.

Adelabu stated this while receiving members of the Civil-Military Committee on Energy Security,on Wednesday.

A statement by his media aide, Bolaji Tunji, on Thursday, conveyed the Minister’s displeasure over the rate at which power infrastructure is being vandalised across the nation.

He said vandals destroy national assets and deprive the government of the capacity to provide stable and affordable electricity to homes, industries, and all critical sectors of the economy.

“It is shameful for a nation of over 200 million people to still be on 5,000MW of electricity at this age. Let me tell you that some of the transformers we are still using today are 64 years old. How do you want such to give you what you desire at this age? “Those maintaining them do not even understand them again. This is a reflection of the actions and inactions of the past 60 years. We have not done what is right in this sector in the past 60 years and that is what we are correcting now.

“So, President Bola Tinubu desires to move away from this narrative and give Nigerians what they deserve in terms of energy and power supply and that is what we are set to achieve in the ministry now. “We want to eradicate energy poverty among Nigerians. Our focus now is to engender a new energy development for Nigeria that will make electricity available to all Nigerians, where they reside.

“The power sector is a priority to this government and when we get it right here, all other sectors will also get it right,” Adelani stressed.

He noted that the Federal Government has begun moves aimed at protecting the nation’s critical power infrastructure as it ramps up efforts towards providing quality, stable and affordable electricity to Nigerians.

Adelabu noted that the issue of vandalism has been a major concern to the Federal Government, adding that the matter is being handled with all the seriousness it deserves.

While commending the members of the Committee for their dedication and anticipated contributions, the Minister urged them to work diligently in order to meet the expectations set by the presidential directive.

He reiterated that the ultimate goal is to transform Nigeria’s energy sector into one that is self-reliant and globally competitive.

With the inauguration of the Technical Sub-Committee, under the leadership of Finance Minister Wale Edun, Nigeria is poised to witness a transformative shift in its energy landscape, especially with the task on the Committee to craft a robust framework for Naira-based crude sales, paving the way for a self-reliant and globally competitive energy sector.

As the nation embarks on this strategic journey, the ultimate goal of boosting economic growth, reducing poverty, and enhancing refining capacity is within reach.

Thus, the Committee’s diligent work will be instrumental in unlocking Nigeria’s full potential, and their contributions will be pivotal in shaping a brighter future for generations to come.