VP Shettima flags off ‘Light Up Nigeria Project’ in South-East

Steve Unegbu, Umuahia and Cosmas Chukwu, Enugu

 

The Federal Government on Monday flagged off the “Light Up Nigeria Project’ in the South-East aimed at providing electricity across the country.

Flagging of the project in Enugu during the South East Business roundtable, Vice President Sen. Kashim Shettima, said the project was the reassurance of the federal government’s responsibility towards expansion of the country’s industrial sector.

He said, “We gather here today to embark on a transformative journey, the launch of the Light of Nigeria project in the southeastern states.

“What we are witnessing is the second launch of the strategic collaboration with the Nigeria Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and other invaluable partners.

“We are sure of the direct pursuit of the priority set by his Excellency, President Bola Tinubu and the project is a long awaited solution to the power supply that undermine the economy,” he said.

Shettima, who is the Chairman, Board of Directors, NDPHC, said the intervention was a calculated endeavour to engineer the nation’s economy, serve as the oil wheel of industries and improve Nigeria power supply.

While describing Southeast as the “industrial power of the country”, the vice president said the project remained a critical priority of President Tinubu.

“Igbos are enterprising, practically mobile and educationally ambitious. You are the hope of the nation.

“I can assure you that President Tinubu means well for Nigeria and Ndigbo and Southeast; the southeast governors are among the best in the country,” he said.

Speaking, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, said the federal government would pursue the project to achieve its objectives, stressing that it would turn around power issues in the country and created jobs for Nigerians.

According to him, the project has been structured to resolve major challenges in the Nigeria electricity supply industry since the privatization in 2013.

He regretted that in spite of the huge investment in the sector, power supply had not improved but kept deteriorating.

“Since I was I born, we have experienced same issue and currently, we are generating only 4000 mega watts which is one of the fundamental issues this administration is trying to address,” he said.

On his part, the Managing Director, NDPHC, Mr. Chinedu Ugbo, added that the project was part of historic initiative by the federal government to address the issue of electricity in the country.

He said that the project demonstrated commitment, determination and intervention of President Tinubu’s administration and the NDPHC to provide reliable and sustainable solutions to the electricity challenge in the country starting with affordable power supply to the industries.

He  that the launch of the project first took in Ogun state where Shettima  engaged  business community by assuring them  that FG were committed to provide electricity to power businesses in the industrial area across the country.

Ugbo described NDPHC as the government owned company responsible for implementing the national integrated power projects.

.Light-Up Nigeria Project signals new dawn for South East, says Gov. Mbah

Meanwhile Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, says the Light-Up Nigeria Project signals a new dawn for power and industrialization of the South East region, saying  other sectors would fall in place once power challenge is fixed.

Mbah, while commending the Federal Government and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) for coming up with the project to ramp up power supply to industrial clusters in the South East, enjoined industrialists in the region to key-in fully and take advantage of the initiative to remove any bottlenecks faced regarding power availability.

He said Light-up Nigeria Project aligned with his administration’s disruptive approach to governance underpinned by thinking outside the box.

The governor spoke at the South East Business Roundtable and flag-off of the Light-up Nigeria Project – South East, by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima in Enugu on Monday.

“The Light -Up Nigeria Project today is, in my view, a new dawn for power in the South East and one of the most innovative initiatives in the power sector. This project is of critical importance since it deals with the power sector, which I believe is pivotal to economic growth. Indeed, if we fix power, a lot of other sectors would fall into place.

“This project ensures efficient dispatch of power to the largest consumers via bilateral sales agreements, which overides the existing bulk purchase arrangements through NBET, leveraging on a willing buyer, willing seller structure.

“The Programme will certainly bring improved access to affordable power to the South East. This will in turn result in reduced power costs for the productive sector and enable them improve enganced productivity and generate jobs. This is critical in this day where the country is pushing to boost production and drive-up exports to ultimately shore up our domestic currency.

“Therefore, this project aligns completely with our approach to governance in Enugu in the sense that it is a very disruptive initiative, which shows a deep ability to think outside the box. Today’s Nigeria requires a marked departure from business as usual to business unusual”.

He pledged his government’s continued support to industrialists and other private investors across  the state to complement the undeniable boost that the Light-up Nigeria Project would bring.

The project is expected to take light to every part of Nigeria including the remotest area of the country.

The event afforded industrialists in the region during Business Roundtable opportunity to interact with the vice president on their challenges as regard to power issues.

The event was attended by Governors Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi and Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra States as well prominent personalities and top Government Officials in the Southeast.

.Aba Geometric Power Plant a game changer project–Tinubu

In a related development,  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described the completion and commissioning of the Aba Geometric Power Plant as a game changer project and a testimony to the power of dreams.

The President who was represented by the Vice President,  Kashim Shettima during the occasion of the commissioning of the Aba Geometric power plant in Osisioma industrial area, in Abia state lauded the chairman of the Geometric Power Group, Professor Bart Nnaji for what he has achieved, explaining that  president Tinubu is proud of the completion and commissioning of the project as well as Prof. Nnaji.

Continuing, he  commended the Abia State Governor Dr Alex Otti for his good leadership in the State  stressing that he witnessed the love and support for him, while commissioning  three roads  rehabilitated  by the Governor in Aba  while enjoining him to continue the good work he is doing in the state.

He expressed appreciation to Prof. Benedict Oramah  describing him as a man who has been identifying with Nigeria project and has used his platform to better Africa in large .

His words: “The Geometric power plant project bears testimony to the power of dreams. The Project we are about to commission is a game changer project and I bring you glad tidings from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“He is mightily proud of completion and commissioning of this project and mightily proud of Prof. Bart Nnaji.

“Today in Aba, we saw testimony of good leadership. I saw the love and support of the people for Dr Alex Otti . I was privileged to commission three roads  in Aba, the Queens Road , Jubilee Road and Omoba Road on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Posterity will be very kind to you Governor Alex Otti, keep the flag flying”.

In his speech, Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti , welcomed the President to Abia State, adding that his presence shows the commitment of the Federal Government to supporting private investors .

He said the commissioning of the Geometric power plant signifies the dawn of a new era and appreciated Nnaji and all his international partners.

He informed that the Geometric power plant is very special and dear to him , stressing that it was in 2010 that Prof. Nnaji came to him for support when he was heading the Diamond Bank.

He thanked the former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu for giving the group  opportunity to start in Abia State and expressed appreciation to the Obi of Onitsha HRM Eze Achebe who was the chairman of Diamond Bank then for playing active role, thanked Professor Ben Oramah and the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari for his role, adding that the commissioning of Aba Geometric power plant will send clear signal that Aba is open to businesses and investors.

Speaking during the commissioning of the roads, he said the projects being commissioned are strategic roads.

He thanked the contractors for working in line with specifications, including putting drainages in the two sides of the roads and delivering them  in good time. He stressed that the roads are built to last .

“This road is a road that is built to last. When we do this, we want to give the power back to the people. We want to give access to you. We want you to go back to what you do and what you know how to do without any obstruction and that is why we have promised that every part of Aba must be touched”.

The State chief executive thanked Mr. President for the support he has been giving to his administration since he assumed office and assured the people of the State that his administration is just starting, adding that he would ensure he fulfils his promises to them.

Earlier,the Chairman, Geometric Power Group, Prof. Nnaji said the project which was initiated by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo when he was President, his then Minister of Finance,Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala gave approval when it was presented to him, which has now been completed and being commissioned.

According to him, “The test of whether Nigeria can have reliable electricity is here, and that test is partly about gas supply.

“We can guarantee that if we have reliable gas supply, we will provide reliable electricity to Aba metropolis and  the onus is now on the government to demonstrate that reliable power is possible in Nigeria by ensuring that this  project gets reliable gas supply.

“When the project’s only financial security which is ARFA was wrongly sold by the BPE during privatization, it was former President Buhari’s team of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Minister of Power Babatunde Fashola that mediated an out of court settlement for the return of Ring -fenced Area to Aba power but with refund of what was paid by the core investors in EEDC including penalties we had to pay on behalf of the Federal Government.

“The Government of President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima has also continued to support the project. Mr Vice President just last week intervened to resolve a way forward on what was becoming a very dangerous issue for Aba Power ”

He expressed gratitude to former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for giving him the opportunity to highlight the possibilities for sustainable power delivery in Nigeria as well as various administrations in Abia State for providing support in their various ways.

He thanked Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator T.A Orji, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu and the current administration of Dr Alex Otti. The support of current administration he said started when he was the CEO of Diamond Bank and to now as Governor of the State.

Speaking further, he expressed appreciation to Dr Pascal Dozie,  Dr Herbert Wigwe of blessed memory, the CEO of AMCON, the CEO of Stanbic Bank, CEO of BOI and Afreximbank among others.

He also thanked the President of Afreximbank Prof. Benedict Oramah and the key Federal Government institutions that have been and continue to be key success factors for Aba IPP.

In his speech,the Nigeria Minister for power,Chief Adelabu Adebayo who said the Geometric power plant is for all Nigerians and not only for Aba people, noted that with the commissioning of Aba Geometric power plant the long time problem of power in Nigeria would be resolved soon.

He revealed that the Federal Government will watch Geometric power plant and that when it succeeds will be used as a model.

He said that Geometric power plant will bring an end to estimated electric billing, while appealing to all Nigerians to make sure the Geometric power plant is secured as well as pay their electric bills to ensure that the plant continue to function.