The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has promised Nigerians a stable and sustainable electricity supply across the country.
Adelabu made this assurance during an inspection visit to the Calabar power plant of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company in Cross River State on Tuesday.
He emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to reforming the power sector to ensure consistent power stability nationwide.
“The demand for energy is on the rise, and the government is working tirelessly to meet these demands,” Adelabu stated.
He urged stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to be proactive as President Bola Tinubu’s administration aims to address challenges in the sector.
“The power sector is critical to both the government and the national economy. This is why the President has tasked me with visiting all the power plants in the country to assess their functionality,” he added.
Adelabu expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Calabar Power Plant, noting it as the most active among NDPHC’s facilities.
“We are encouraging the expansion of power generation and installation. It won’t be business as usual—players in the sector must be diligent as the Federal Government reforms the sector for optimal power generation and distribution to meet the growing demands of Nigerians,” he said.
Regarding the potential privatization of the plant to the Cross River State government, Adelabu mentioned that the matter is currently before the Federal Privatisation Council and the Federal Executive Council.
Cross River State’s Commissioner for Power and Energy, Eka Williams, stated that the state government is prepared and capable of taking over and efficiently managing the plant, citing the available expertise.
Williams also affirmed that Governor Bassey Otu’s administration is committed to addressing the needs of the state’s citizens.
Speaking too, the Managing Director of the NDPHC, Chiedu Ugbo, stated that the Calabar plant is currently supplying power to most of the South-South and South-East regions.
He also called for the establishment of more sub-transmission power stations to improve power distribution.
Ugbo expressed concern over the issue of vandalism and urged citizens to desist from such acts.
