Shettima: Tinubu’s Administration Committed to South-east Transformation
Inaugurates 181mw geometric power plant in Aba Mbah: Project launch signals new dawn in region
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, yesterday, said the Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to revamping critical sectors in the South-east, stressing that Nigeria would work if the region works.
Shettima, during the project launch in Enugu, also inaugurated the 181mw Geometric power plant in Aba, Abia State to accelerate power supply to industrial clusters in the region.
The vice president said this during the launch of the Light Up Nigeria Programme for the South-east as part of efforts to improve energy supply to industrial clusters in the region.
The project, a collaboration between the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) and its partners, is targeted at revamping Nigeria's infrastructure framework with the much-needed drive in empowering Nigerians and strengthening the economic policies of the Tinubu administration.
The Vice President also flagged off the Smart Schools project of Governor Peter Mbah in Enugu and various road projects in Abia State constructed by Governor Alex Otti.
In his address, Shettima said the Light Up Nigeria Programme, an initiative of the federal government and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), was an expression of president Tinubu' determination to tackle the perennial challenge of power supply in the region.
Shettima called on all stakeholders to put hands on the deck to ensure the success of the project.
"The economic fortune of Nigeria remains the critical concern of president Tinubu and we believe that if the power sector works, Nigeria will work too,” he said.
"The Light Up Nigeria project powers the hope of our industrialists and serves as a long-awaited solution to the power supply deficit that has undermined our economy over the past decades. So, this intervention isn’t a ribbon-cutting charade. This is a calculated endeavour to re-engineer our economy, and whatever we design to oil the wheels of our industries is futile unless we stabilize the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI)."
"We were sure of our direction in pursuit of the priorities set by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the dream under construction attracts us to this historic city of coals and industries," he added.
The Vice President stated confidently that "even the most skeptical mind has since been persuaded by the milestones achieved in Agbara since October 12, 2023," following the completion of technical studies and a new transformer procured, while a mobile transmission substation would soon be up for commissioning.
Noting that the project was not mere rhetoric, Shettima pointed out that, “this marks a significant step toward reliable power supply. The genius of this initiative is that it promises a boost in supply levels to NESI without injecting public funds. Yet, it provides stable power where our economy needs it the most."
On the choice of Enugu for the launch of the project in the South East which, according to him, was not based on geographical compensation, the Vice President further explained that "with its renowned industrial layouts in Emene and 9th Mile corner, the commercial and manufacturing direction, potentials, and promise of Enugu States align with our vision of fast-tracking the economic growth and influence of this project beyond the South-East, beyond Nigeria, and, in fact, beyond Africa."
Earlier, Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, said the launch of the project signalled a new dawn in the south-east, particularly for industrialists whom be enjoined to take advantage of the project to tackle the bottlenecks they face regarding power availability.
According to him, the project would ensure an efficient dispatch of power to the largest consumers via bilateral sales agreements, which overrides the existing bulk purchase arrangements through NBET, leveraging on a willing buyer, willing seller structure.
“It will improve access to affordable power to the Southeast which will in turn result in reduced power costs for the productive sector and enable them to improve enhanced productivity and generate jobs,” he said.
In his welcome address, the Managing Director of NDPHC, Chiedu Ugbo, said the initiatives demonstrates the commitment and determination of the Tinubu's administration to provide reliable and sustainable solutions to the electricity challenge in the country, starting with reliable and affordable supply to industries.
“This event marks the formal launch of the South-east phase of the strategic collaboration between NDPHC and other project parties to provide steady and reliable electricity supply to industrial and business clusters across Nigeria,” he said.