Imported User:
The Federal Government is seeking for support from traditional rulers to drive the ongoing reforms in the power sector, the Minister of State for Power, Mr Darius Ishaku, said.
The minister’s view is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Deworitshe Patricia, the Assistant Deputy Director Press, Ministry of Power, in Abuja on Monday.
Ishaku made the plea when he paid a visit to the Emir of Borgu, Dr Haliru Dantoro, where he recently inaugurated a new laboratory built by the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria.
The minister said it was necessary to seek royal blessings on the new tariff ``because they are government’s veritable partners in the ongoing reform in the power sector.
``Traditional rulers are closer to the people and, therefore, must educate their subjects against being used by those who benefit from keeping Nigeria in darkness.’’
The minister expressed appreciation to the emir on the way he had been advocating for peace among the people in the emirate.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s determination to improve the economy with adequate and stable power supply.
He said appropriate tariff adjustment was designed to encourage Nigerians and foreign investors to deploy resources to the highly capital intensive sector.
Ishaku said the government wanted to prevent Nigerians from estimated billing, adding that the new tariff would ensure that everyone was metered and energy saving bulbs provided for the people to conserve energy.
The energy saving bulbs will regulate the consumption of energy and release excess energy back to the national grid for distribution to other areas, the statement said.
The emir commended the Federal Government for improving power supply and promised to address his people to co-operate with the government on the new tariff.
Dantoro expressed satisfaction with the new tariff, saying it would prevent rural dwellers and the poor from paying higher tariff and thanked government for protecting their interest.
