From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Federal Government, yesterday, said that only 40 per cent Nigerians have access to electricity.
This, it said, is due to low generation of power.
Speaking, while inaugurating the Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria (CIPEN), Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu said that it’s against this background that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu elicited a lot of reforms in the industry leading to the signing into law the Electric Power Reform Act 2023 which gives authority to states to generate, transmit and distribute power.
“We will all be delighted if collaborative arrangements can be forged with the relevant stakeholders to partner in harnessing the versed potentials of our country’s abundant natural resources in the area of coal power, wind, mini-hydro and large scale solar and many other sources of energy” he urged.
Adelabu who was represented by the Director, Transmission in the Ministry of Power, Engineer Nosike Emmanuel pleaded with stakeholders in the industry to collaborate as the industry is undergoing a significant restructuring reforms.
“Power sector is currently facing challenges that demand necessary input and attention from all stakeholders. It’s only 40 per cent of the 200 million people in Nigeria that have access to power. This is due to low generation. Lack of adequate power is a major constraint to the socio-economic development of our nation. That’s why the analysis to the stunted power is very apt. CIPEN is bringing professional capability, credibility and competence to bear in the electricity supply power industry and provide tremendous opportunity for research, investment and partnership in the sector.
“CIPEN serves as a reservoir for appropriate knowledge and promotion of professional competence for development of power industry through innovative contributions and leveraging on timely and capacity building of power industry.
In his remarks, the president of CIPEN, Engineer Israel Esehoghene Abraham stated that the institute is charged with the responsibility to control, regulate and determine the standards of knowledge and skills to be attained by people seeking to be chartered power engineers and for people seeking to become power engineering profession and for related matters.
“This implies that the institute is a specialised body for engineering professionals in the Nigerian power sector. It has the onerous mandate to professionally drive the Nigerian power sector’s efforts towards realising the Nigerian electric power dream” the president said. ENDS