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Tag: fashola

  • Why we are shutting Third Mainland Bridge for three days – FG

    Why we are shutting Third Mainland Bridge for three days – FG

    The Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos will be closed to traffic for three days from July 27, 2018, to assess the condition of the bridge, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said.

    A statement on Monday said Fashola, spoke as guest on the Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    The minister reportedly said the closure was necessary in order to ascertain whether there had been any material deterioration between the period the first procurement for maintenance of the bridge was approved and now, adding that the three days would be used to examine the bridge to be sure that there had been no material deterioration beyond what was procured.

    He said, “The investigation would have been carried out earlier but the need to reduce the inconveniences that would accompany the closure compelled government to shift the time to a more convenient period when children would be on vacation and when fewer vehicles were likely to be on the bridge.”

    The minister said it was only after the assessment of the amount of maintenance work involved that government engineers and contractors would lay out the plan of work.

    “I think it is later in the year or early next year that the repairs will start,” Fashola added.

  • Improve electricity supply to Nigerians or quit, Fashola tells DisCos

    Improve electricity supply to Nigerians or quit, Fashola tells DisCos

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on Monday directed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to immediately step in to ensure that Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) improve on their distribution equipment and increase capacity to enable them optimize the use of electrical resources by the Generation Companies (GenCos).

    Fashola, who spoke at a press briefing on the “Power Sector State of Play, Next Steps and Policy Directives”, also directed NERC to enforce the contract of DisCos to supply meters and act to ensure the urgent speedy supply and installation of meters with a view to eliminating estimated billing and promote efficient industry and market structures.

    The minister, who said the improvement in their distribution equipment and increase in capacity would enable the DisCos take up the available 2,000MW difference between the generation capacity of the GenCos and the distribution capacity of the DisCos, also directed the regulatory commission to stop DisCos from threatening private entrepreneurs from entering the market to supply consumers whom they are unable to supply.

    Instead, according the minister, such entrepreneurs should be licensed by the commission subject to its terms and conditions “in order to promote competition and private sector participation and avoid a private monopoly of power”, adding that as clearly stated in Section 71(6) of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) dealing with Terms and Conditions of licenses, “no exclusivity or monopoly was intended for a license holder such as GenCos or DisCos.”

    The aforementioned section states that, “Unless expressly indicated in the license, the grant of a license shall not hinder or restrict the grant of a license to another person for a like purpose and, in the absence of such an express indication, the licensee shall not claim any exclusivity, provided that the commission may allow a licensed activity to be exclusive for all or part of the period of the license for a specific purpose, for a geographical area, or for some combination of the foregoing”.

    Noting that the regulatory commission has not issued any such exclusive license to any DisCo, Fashola declared, “If we take into consideration that, after five years of privatisation, there are still people and businesses who do not have power or enough power, common sense and public interest demands that we must not resist ordinary people, small businesses like shops and markets from seeking alternative sources of energy.”

    “The truth is that they already have these sources of alternative energy, in small petrol and diesel generators that cost them about N100 per kilowatt hour. If the DISCOs are not resisting the generator sellers who are contributing to pollution, what is the logic of resisting small entrepreneurs bringing mini gas plants to supply a market need,” the minister argued, pointing out that for now, the nation’s developmental needs could not wait “for businessmen who are not yet ready to serve”.

    Urging NERC “to act with dispatch,” Fashola said the stated policy statements were made in the national interest, public good, the need to support small businesses, provide access to power for ordinary people and increase productivity; adding, however, that although he was not unmindful of concerns about loss of market or customers by DISCOs, such concerns must be balanced against national interest and that with improvement in their businesses, they would be in a position to use their economies of scale of large volumes of power to buy out or out-price the small entrepreneurs.

    The minister implored members of the public who seek more information “to get a copy of EPSRA and read its simple provisions”, adding that the act confers extensive regulatory powers on NERC “including the power in Sections 73 and 74, to amend or cancel a license if the licensee is unable to discharge the duties and obligations imposed by the license.”

    Fashola also directed NBET, the bulk trader, to work with Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), to fashion out ways to ensure that the DisCos improve their collection remittance and also start to pay their debts saying this would help to promote stability in the Sector. “This business cannot progress if debtors do not pay their debts”, he said.

    Stating, however, that it is neither his intention nor that of government to take over the business of the DisCos, the minister declared, “On the contrary, it is government’s desire to see DISCOs thrive and flourish in a competitive environment”, adding, “In the period when they are not yet ready, willing, or able, life must go on and we must find solutions and substitutes as we have seen in other sectors”.

    Such sectors, he said, include the broadcasting, newspaper and telecommunication sectors where, according to him, “those who could not compete conceded and left the stage gloriously without breaking down the system”, while those who could compete have brought better living conditions to Nigerians.

    Saying that the policy directives should not be seen as anti-privatization, Fashola, who said they were meant to ginger all stakeholders to brace up to their responsibilities to serve the people, added, “I remain convinced that Privatisation is the way forward. Privatisation has brought us mega value in Broadcasting; it has brought us better value in Newspapers, Telecommunications and Banking and other sectors of our national life and I remain convinced that it will deliver in Power”.

    “This is not a time to trade blames, because there is enough to go round; rather it is a time to reiterate everybody’s responsibility and urge all of us to brace up, to do what we are obliged to do, which is to serve the people, he said, adding, “I suspect that these facts may appear like a red flag to the bulls of anti-privatisation, but I remain convinced that privatisation is the way forward”.

    Recalling that when the public complained about the tariff approved by NERC, he was the one that stood in the forefront of explaining to the public even though it was the Discos who collect the tariff, Mr Fashola declared, “In the face of this picture, where we have power to sell, with more to come, the number of complaints coming to Government for meters, which the DISCOs should supply, and for estimated billings, and mass disconnections when not everybody is owing, cannot continue”.

    “Government must act, and will do so. The DisCos bought these assets with their eyes opened, and they must compete to deliver or exit”, Fashola declared, adding that Small businesses who need very little power are not getting enough because the DisCos could not take the power to them.

    The minister expressed dismay that investment of GenCos was threatened because they could not utilise the capacity they have installed, adding that in order to improve service to small businesses, Government, acting through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), was linking Small Power Entrepreneurs with markets like Ariaria in Aba, Sabon Gari Market in Kano, and Sura Market in Lagos which, according to him, contain approximately 37,000, 13,000, and 1,047 shops respectively, which are being metered by the small entrepreneurs who have offered to replace the generators of traders with more efficient power and meters.

    According to the minister, there are 15 markets in all which if successfully implemented would provide power to 85,485 shops, empower 205,000 SMEs and create 2,000 jobs during the installation and after in operation and maintenance adding, “The DisCos are agitating that this should not happen, yet they offer no solution.”

    On what government has been doing to assist the DisCos and other operators to deliver power, Mr Fashola said as facilitator of business and enabler of the private Sector, government had, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, made available the sum of N213 billion to the power sector at a concessionary interest rate, below market rate, to GenCos and DisCos adding, however, that some DisCos had shied away from taking the facility.

    According to him, “probably because of the source of fund conditions, such as opening of letters of credit attached to the performance, some DisCos have not taken the money”, adding that currently NERC detected “an unauthorized use of money by the Ibadan DisCo” and was now taking some remedial measures.

    The minister said government has also responded to claims of debts owed by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to DisCos before the present administration, a debt which, he said, “was alleged to be in the region of over N70 billion adding that at the cost to government, “several hundreds of thousands of bills, amounting to about 450,000 bills, were verified” while government has ascertained that N27 billion was owed by Federal MDAs to DisCos.

    Prior to the tenure of this administration, he said, GenCos and Gas suppliers who produce power, were being underpaid by NBET because the DisCos were under collecting or under-remitting such that GenCos were getting only about 20 per cent of their invoices from Power adding that Government intervened and created N701 Billion Payment Assurance Guarantee (PAG) to NBET to ensure that payment to GenCos improved.

    Payment of invoices, according to Mr Fashola, has now increased from 20 to 80 per cent “in the hope that if we move production, DisCos will collect and remit”. He expressed regrets, however, that his office still receives daily reports by mail, letters and e-mails of exorbitant bills by DisCos to Consumers without meters while the remittance by DisCos to NBET has not increased resulting in NBET owing the GenCos N325.7 billion, a debt which he was certain could be settled if NBET could collect what DisCos are currently owing it.

    Also, in order to assist in the evacuation of 2,000MW, the difference between what the GenCos can produce and the DisCos can distribute, Fashola said the DisCos were asked to submit their transformer and other equipment requirements adding that, as part shareholders, government has committed to invest N76 billion for the procurement of equipment and installation to help the DisCos evacuate the 2,000 MW to consumers.

    Other inputs by government, he said, include settling an inherited court case and making available N37 billion to Meter Asset Providers (MAPs), under the regulations made by NERC to license meter investors, “to help supply meters that the DisCos are under contract to supply but are yet unable to do so”, adding that the gesture was in order to bridge he metering gap and to promote harmonious relationship and reduced friction between the DisCos and their MAPs.

    Progress, the minister said, have also been recorded in the sector between 2015 and 2018 including improvement in the generation of power from 4,000 MW (approx) in 2015 to 7,000 MW (approx) in 2018 averaging an increase of 1,000 MW (approx) per annum adding that additional 455 MW (Azura); 215 megawatts (Kaduna), 240 MW (Afam III); 40 MW (Kashimbilla); almost totaling 954 MW would be added this year while 700 MW (Zungeru), 480 MW (Okpai II) about 1,150 MW are projected for 2019, even as the GENCOs are undertaking various repairs, rehabilitation and expansion that would bring on incremental power.

    “Transmission has also increased from 5,000 MW (Approx) in 2015 to 7,124 MW (Approx) in December 2017 averaging 1,062 MW per annum increase in transmission capacity. TCN currently has about 90 Transmission projects in various stages of construction and many are to be completed this year”, Fashola said adding, “So, we can transport what the GENCOS generate and there is a Transmission Expansion plan 2018 to 2028 which Government is committed to implement”.

    The Minister said although distribution has increased from 2,690 MW (Approx) in 2015 to 5,222 MW (Approx) in 2018, averaging an increase of 844 MW per annum “because the DISCOS have also done some work”, adding that from 2016 when the DisCos complained about lack of enough power to distribute, the problem today was that the DisCos could not distribute all of the Power that was available, leaving the sector with an unused capacity of 2,000 MW (Approx), with the approximately 1,150 MW projected to come this year and 2019.

    In the robust question and answer session that followed, Fashola explained that all the solutions being applied to reform the power sector such as the Payment Assurance Guarantee, among others, were contained in the Power Sector Reform Programme (PSRP) which the his Ministry compiled urging stakeholders, including the Media, to read it for understanding.

    Also present at the event were the Minister of State, Power, Works and Housing, Suleiman Zarma Hassan; Chairman NERC, James Momoh; and his Vice, Sanusi Garba; Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Usman Mohammed; Managing Director Rural Electrification Agency, Damilola Ogunbiyi; other Agency Heads, Directors and Special Advisers.

     

  • Lagos, five other states yet to provide land for housing – Fashola

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has urged the Lagos State Government to provide land for National Housing Programme in the state.

    Fashola, the immediate past governor of the state made the call at the 2018 Ramadan Lecture of the Lagos branch of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria.

    The minister said the President Muhammadu Buhari led-administration was working towards making life more meaningful for Nigerians through carefully designed programmes and projects.

    According to him, the National Housing Programme is one of the Federal Government’s efforts to address the country’s housing deficit.

    He said, “Over 30 states have provided land for the housing programme and work has started in the states. We are appealing to the Lagos State Government to do same in Lagos.”

    Fashola also said Buhari had approved the construction and reconstruction of roads, including the Lagos-Abeokuta road, Lagos-Ibadan road, as well as the Ikorodu -Shagamu road.

    According to him, the roads would aid effective transport in the areas.

    He added that the ministry was working hard to improve power supply and make prepaid meters available to Nigerians.

    The National Chairman, ADS, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, urged the state government to exempt missionary schools from paying tax, as well as paying Land Use Charge.

  • Imo commissioner lauds quality of work on federal projects

    The Imo Commissioner for Works, Mrs Josephine Udoji, has lauded the quality of work being done by contractors executing Federal Government projects in the state.

    Udoji gave the commendation on Thursday in Owerri during an inspection of ongoing federal projects in the state by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola.

    She said that a team of the state government engineers had been monitoring and inspecting the quality of work since the inception of the projects.

    The commissioner said the idea was to ensure that the contractors worked according to specifications, adding that there had not been complaints by the state supervision team.

    “We are satisfied with what they are doing; my engineers are here and we have been visiting the site; so, they are working according to specifications,” she said.

    In his remark, Fashola advised the contractors to be mindful of the convenience of road users at the various projects, adding that the roads would not be shut down because of ongoing work.

    “As you are prepared to work on strategic sections that would require diversions, there is need to make local communication effective, so that the people will not be taken unawares.” he said.

    He said one of the objectives of the Federal Government in embarking on infrastructural development was to create employment opportunities for the teeming youths in the country.

    Mr Anthony Animaku, the Federal Controller of Works in Imo State, said that Section 1, Phase 1 of the Ikot-Ekpene-Abia-Owerri dualisation project was awarded in 2012 to Arab Contractors.

    He said the 11.26 kms project from Owerri axis was 50.5 per cent completed, adding that with the current pace of work, it would be completed in December.

     

  • Fashola commends Gov Badaru for completing inherited road projects

    Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power Works and Housing, has commended Gov Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa for commitment in completing several road projects he inherited from past administration in the state.

    Fashola gave the commendation after inspecting the ongoing rehabilitation of the 70 kilometer Hadejai-Kirikasamma-Nguru road in Jigawa.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the first phase, which covered 34 kilometres had been completed, while work on phase II, covering 33 kilometres, from Kirikassama in Jigawa to Nguru in Yobe, is ongoing.

    Fashola recalled that the project, which was awarded in 2010 at N7.5 billion, was stalled due to poor funding, until the coming of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

    “The rehabilitation work was awarded since 2010 at the cost of N7.5 billion but is yet to be completed due to poor funding.

    “But this administration said the project must continue and released enough fund for its continuation, so as you can see, it is about to be completed soon,” he said.

    The minister added about 300 road rehabilitations are going across the country.

    According to him, the present administration is committed to all abandoned and uncompleted road projects across the country.

    “Governor Badaru is doing what the Federal Government is doing, which is completing all the uncompleted or abandoned road projects.

    “This is what is called change in the attitude of leaders and followers. Badaru did not consider political affiliation in completing the road project, just like President Buhari did.

    “Because the money expended in constructing or rehabilitating these roads do not belong to any political party or individual leaders, but belongs to the people of Jigawa and Nigerians.

    “So, if as a governor or president, you refuse to complete projects you inherited from your predecessors, due to your differences in politics, then you are not doing any good to the people, rather you are wasting the resources that belong to the people of your state and the country at large.

    “So I must commend Badaru for foresight in completing such road projects he inherited,” said the minister.

    Fashola pointed out that construction and rehabilitation of roads was of priority to the Federal Government as it enhances economic activities and facilitates easy movement of farm produce and other goods across the country.

    “Jigawa and Yobe are agrarian states, so with good road networks, people, particularly farmers, will find it easy to transport their produce to the market with ease.

    “It will also enhance other economic activities between the two states and others around them.

    “The rehabilitation of the road will also reduce drastically the travel time and cost of vehicle maintenance,” Fashola said.

    Earlier, the governor said he inherited about 763 kilometers uncompleted road projects in the state.

    “But as I am talking to you right now, ninety per cent of such projects have been completed.

    “We have also awarded the contract for the construction of additional 350 kilometers road projects in 2016/2017 and about 150 kilometers in 2018 in Jigawa.

    “The completion of the road projects is in line with the Federal Government’s directives of “no waste”, so we copied from the government at the center.

    “Before the end of this tenure in 2019, we will make sure that all the newly awarded and the inherited ones, covering about 1,300 kilometers are completed,” Badaru said.

  • Fashola inaugurates NERC Chairman, charges Commission on Customer Service

    Fashola inaugurates NERC Chairman, charges Commission on Customer Service

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has inaugurated the Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) urging the commission to focus more on customer service to move the power sector forward.

    Speaking after the brief ceremony, Fashola, on Thursday in Abuja, said customer service was “a challenging bridge that must be crossed”.

    He said it was the duty of the commission to make consumers understand what was going on with their metering, what are their rights and who to hold accountable when things go wrong with service delivery.

    The minister said to the NERC Chairman, Prof. James Momoh; “Consumers must understand what is going on with their metering.

    “What are their rights and so on and so forth; who do they hold accountable, where are the NERC field offices to which they can complain”.

    “What is the process of getting remediation for service that is not in sufficient quantity and of quality?”

    Fashola said he would always make himself available to render assistance in terms of policy guidelines, policy directions and help to move the wheel of bureaucracy to make progress.

    He said the commission also had to do a lot of enlightenment among the customers to make them understand who and where to complain when they needed service.

    Fashola, who described the commission as the policeman of the power sector, expressed delight that it now has the full compliment of its membership with a Chairman.

    According to the Minister, “The truth is that we don’t buy meters and we don’t supply meters. really and truly our role now is just to make policies;

    “Our quality of energy, type of energy; whether it is hydro, thermal, and solar or wind and to make sure that if there are problems we go and solve them. And that is in terms of government activities”.

    Fashola pointed out that the power industry was now a business where the GenCos, DisCos the core investors are now responsible for providing electricity to Nigerians.

    He said Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), owned by the government, was now run as a business to transmit electricity.

    He said the organisations, both private and public, were subject to the regulatory power of NERC whose Chairman was being inaugurated. “So that is the policeman of the power industry”, he said.

    Describing metering as a “big issue” in the industry, Fashola, noted the commission has already issued regulations concerning the problem .

    He promised that government was working hard on how quickly meters could come, adding that for those people not connected to the grid, NERC has also issued regulations for mini-grids and how it would happen.

    He expressed delight that between 2015 and now, many consumers have experienced better supply by way of having power for longer hours, buying less diesel and running their generators for shorter periods .

    He, however, said in some places people still say that their experience was not good. “So that means there is still a lot of work to do”, he said.

    In his acceptance remarks, the new Chairman, Prof. James Momoh, pledged to abide by the oath of office he had taken.

    He said he was proud to return and serve his country in the capacity he had been chosen after serving in the U. S. for so many years.

    “I understand that I have been given a trust. My job is a trust. I want to assure you that I am a team player.

    “I will work with the commissioners of NERC, I will work with the ministry and I will work with the legislative arm of government so that together we will forge a relationship.

    “We understand we have been given a trust to move the power sector to the next level”, he said.

  • ‘2019: Fashola will be Nigeria’s next President’

    ‘2019: Fashola will be Nigeria’s next President’

    The leader of Divine Intelligence Ministry, Prophet George Fakolade, has said Nigerians would vote the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to replace incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

    He stated this in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

    According to him, Fashola would make his cabinet ready before assumption of office, step-up the fight against corruption, spare no sacred cows, and heal the nation.

    Fakolade also said the incumbent Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, would continue in office under Mr. Fashola for the sake of continuity and in the interest of the nation.

    His latest statement reads: “Mr. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state is the person chosen by God as President and Commander-in-Chief in Nigeria come 2019.

    “Under Fashola’s administration, the situation in which Presidents are booed or booted out of office in shame and ignominy in past times would no longer continue.

    “He would announce his cabinet on his first day in office and take-off without delay. Fashola’s government would take-off in grand style with all hands on deck. The present sick administration and government shall become history.

    “Before Mr. Fashola assumes office in 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari shall beef-up security around him like an incumbent. Anti-bomb and explosives experts shall open all letters for him like in the case of ex-President of the United States, Barack Obama, before his historic election.

    “He would consider the entire nation his constituency, eschew parochialism in his appointments and make no excuse for failures.

    “Fashola’s government would also step-up the fight against corruption and spare no sacred cows. Treasury looters can only run but cannot hide. God maintains that Nigeria still stinks with corruption and more arrests will be made.

  • Nigeria can generate, transmit over 7,000MW of electricity – Fashola

    Nigeria can generate, transmit over 7,000MW of electricity – Fashola

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola says that the country now has the capacity to generate not less than 7,000 Megawatts (MW) of electricity.

    Fashola, who was responding to questions on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja, also said that transmission chain had also developed capacity to transmit the same megawatts.

    “Today we have the capacity to generate over 7,000MW, we can transmit also over 7,000 MW but we cannot distribute more than 5,200MW now.

    “So if there is no distribution demand, you don’t load on your 7,000 because your supply is informed by your demand.

    “But its there, so it is like goods that you keep in your warehouse, except that power you cannot store it.

    “So what we are actually doing is that some of the GENCOs that have a capacity to produce 100, control center is telling them put only 60.

    “So that is how we are managing it, because of the real demand at final end based on insufficient distribution capacity.”

    The minister who said the country was well over the problem of electricity generation however noted that the challenge was the issue of distribution.

    ‘’Today the March 14, the report I got was that yesterday’s peak energy was 4,822 for distribution, so we are well over that problem of supply, what we are now dealing with is a new problem of distribution.

    “Two years ago the distribution companies were saying they did not have enough power to sell, but today the story has changed.

    “It is not as painful as it was two years ago, people are now using their generators for a shorter periods, buying smaller quantities of fuel for the purposes to power their generator.

    “We are getting longer periods of energy supply, you will see on the diesel purchasing index that the country‘s total use of diesel is coming down,’’ the minister said.

     

  • Ambode, Fashola, Alakija others extol Ekwueme

    Governors of Ogun and Lagos States; Ibikunle Amosun and Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday paid tributes to Nigeria’s first elected Vice President, Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme during the commendation service held in his honour in Lagos.

    The service was held at the Cathedral Church of God, Marina and the ‘Evening of Tributes and Music’ at the Muson Centre, Lagos Island.

    Ambode described Ekwueme, who died in London last November 19 aged 85, as “a leader among leaders.

    He said Ekwueme was “a well respected elder statesman who carried himself with dignity and exuded knowledge, experience and maturity.”

    Ambode noted the “exemplary patriotic roles” played by Ekwueme.

    He said: “Significantly, his answer to the still-problematic National Question grabbed public attention in a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country searching for unity, stability and an equitable power-sharing formula.

    “Dr. Ekwueme had proposed six geopolitical zones as the federating units that would rotationally produce a five-year single-term presidency. The six geopolitical zones are Northwest, Northeast, North central, Southwest, Southeast and South-south.”

    “There is no doubt that Dr. Ekwueme was a creative political thinker. Although his novel proposal during the 1994-1995 National Constitutional Conference (NCC) that produced the 1999 Nigerian Constitution was not formally included in the constitution, it is to his credit that the idea of six geopolitical zones has been informally embraced and today informs aspects of governance in the country. In this respect, his contribution to the country’s political evolution has an enduring quality.”

    Former governor of Lagos State and Minister of Power and Housing Babatunde Fashola, who paid his tributes via a video interview said Ekwueme was “a truly great man.”

    He recommended Ekwueme’s credibility and high values as worth emulating.

    Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi described Ekwueme as a nationalist and urged other politicians to emulate him.

    Former Secretary-General of Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku said: “He was not a typical leader. He left a legacy of diligence, hardwork.”

    Alhaji Lateef Okunnu SAN, Ekwueme’s former school mate at King’s College, Lagos, said Ekwueme would have made Nigeria great if he had become President.

    Africa’s richest women, Mrs Alakija also recalled Ekwueme’s brilliance.

    She said: “He was extremely sharp and would always recognise anyone who was sharp. He loved dancing. He would dance and dance.”

    Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Adebola Ademowo, the Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion), described the late former Vice President as a selfless and God fearing Nigerian statesman.

    He said: “We cannot compare him to the politicians of today as he single-handedly supervised the construction of Oko Comprehensive Secondary School, among many things he did, he spent his money for the good and benefits of Nigerians.

    Ekwueme will be buried in his hometown Oko, Anambra State on February 2.

     

  • Incremental power: Nigerians now spend less on fuel to run their generating sets – Fashola

    Incremental power: Nigerians now spend less on fuel to run their generating sets – Fashola

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on Monday said Nigerians are now spending less on fuel to run their generating sets as a result of the improved power supply in the country.

    The minister stated this at the January 2018 edition of the monthly power sector operators’ meeting held on Monday in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

    According to him, Nigerians are appreciative of the federal government efforts at improving the hitherto epileptic power supply in Nigeria.

    Fashola also thanked the leadership of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) supplying adequate gas to improve and stabilize electricity generation across the country.

    In his words: “I will like to thank all of you for your contributions towards these milestones. The reason I thank you is because you are impacting the lives of Nigerians, you are saving them money and changing their lifestyles for the better.

    “They tell me that their consumption of diesel and petrol to run generators for power has reduced and the hours they run their generators has gradually reduced. This is the result of incremental power and we must get more of it.

    “They also tell me that they are now monitoring how they use power and are turning off appliances that are not needed. Although this is meant to save costs, it also conserves energy, reduces waste and supports incremental power,” he added.

    Fashola also revealed that the country currently has 2,000 megawatts of electricity that is not in use, because it cannot be distributed.

    The Minister explained that the power was not being utilized because manufacturers had not shown interest in making use of it.

    “I will like to start this my remarks by highlighting the progress and milestones on our journey for incremental power which reassure us that we are on the right path and inspire us to continue with more belief.

    “Those milestones are represented by generated power has gone up to 7,000MW in 2017 from 3,000MW in May 2015, transmission capacity at 6,900MW in 2017 from about 5,000MW in May 2015. Peak distribution now averaging 5,000MW in 2017 from 2,690MW in 2015.

    “We are also putting together a policy position to help expand the distribution network of the Discos and use this to distribute the 2,000MW that is currently available but cannot be distributed.

    “I also use the opportunity to call out to manufacturers to let us know where they are, how much power they need, and how we can connect you because we have 2000MW of undistributed power,” Fashola said.