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“YOU know that evil forces inhabit human beings and I am sure that you are aware of the fact that the cabals that don’t want the power sector to heal in Nigeria are very powerful. I wouldn’t want to start mentioning them one by one but it is important to remember that there are people who are benefiting from the sufferings of the masses. There are people who are benefiting from Federal Government’s funds that were supposed to be used to address issues but were not used.”
With the above words, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, at the weekend hinted in an interview with The Guardian, at the difficulties of successfully reforming the nation’s electricity sector.
But he vowed not to be deterred by the activities of the cabals, assuring that there would soon be an outburst of economic benefits as a result of anticipated improvements in electricity.
He also unveiled government’s financial plan for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), a critical component of the electricity sector responsible for evacuating generated electricity from generating companies and wheeling it to distribution companies. To revive the nation’s ailing transmission infrastructure, he said the Federal Government had secured a facility from the African Development Bank (AfDB). The facility and other budgetary provisions, according to Nebo, would bring TCN to a world class status, and be able to wheel all electricity generated in the country.
On the cabals in the sector, the minister in this major interview with a newspaper said: “I mean, it is all too obvious that lots of funds have gone into the sector but in some areas, you don’t see a concomitant development in the sector, so there are problems within and without. There is the issue of Nigerian factor, cartels that feel that once there is power, they lose their own businesses.”
He said he was equal to the task and would work with all well-meaning stakeholders to tackle the challenges.
He said: “I have no doubt that we will succeed. In fact, I am so optimistic that we will solve the power problems. The power problems give the President nightmares and give all of us nightmares. The President has made up his mind that the power problem in Nigeria will be solved and we will do everything that is required.”
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