Nigeria Needs Viable Power Sector To Develop – Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria cannot dream of meaningful economic development without addressing the power sector crisis and ensuring that the citizens have access to electricity and other affordable energy.

He urged the country’s leaders to rise above their differences to confront the power sector crisis and be a part of the reincarnation of Nigeria as an industrialised nation.

The vice president stated this on Thursday night when he inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC) Ad-Hoc Committee on National Electrification and NEC Ad-Hoc Committee on Polio Eradication at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Shettima in a statement issued yesterday by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, made reference to countries with similar challenges of energy insufficiency, such as Indonesia, India, South Africa, and Uganda, pointing out that they were already in the league of those at the forefront of post-industrial revolution.

“One common thing with these countries and others in the post-industrial revolution community is that they have largely resolved the issue of energy insufficiency. There is no doubt that we cannot dream of meaningful national economic development without addressing the issue in the power sector and ensuring that Nigerians have accessible, available and affordable energy,” he stated.

Regretting that an estimated 40-70 percent of Nigerians have no formal access to electricity, VP Shettima said he is comforted by the knowledge that the calibre and experiences of state Governors and other members of the committee “will definitely change the narrative in a positive trajectory.”

He acknowledged the basic challenges in the nation’s power sector, especially the national grid which has been witnessing system collapse.

The vice president however expressed hope that there will soon be significant improvement following the recent reforms in the energy sector which have opened the sector, “not only to the participation of, otherwise, excluded players, but also to attract investments, both foreign and local.

“I believe we are well endowed with resources, be it gas, hydro or solar, that allow us to have an optimal energy mix and leverage these resources to build a sector in a resilient manner that ensures energy security for every Nigerian,” he added.

The vice president urged members of the National Electrification ad hoc committee to come on board and work for the nation.

He said, “I wish you the best as you embark on this critical assignment, and I want to assure you of my availability as you discharge this onerous assignment. With this, I hereby inaugurate the NEC ad hoc committee on National Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan.”

While inaugurating the NEC ad hoc committee on Polio Eradication, Senator Shettima urged members of the committee and stakeholders to reinvigorate efforts to confront the reemergence of the disease head-on.