The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has charged the newly inaugurated Commissioners of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to be firm but fair, regulate but be business oriented, calling on them to be resolute in the discharge of their duties.
The Minister gave this charge while inaugurating the Commissioners, on Tuesday in Abuja. He stated that with the new Commissioners on board, the Ministry and the Commission will now focus rigorously on policy formulation and regulation respectively.
The Minister who stated that the Commissioners were chosen as ‘’prescribed by law’’, emphasized that their appointments will ‘’provide stability in governance, regulatory actions and institutions building to the sector’’. Furthermore it will allow the Ministry to ‘’focus on policy, coordination and completion of ongoing generation and transmissions projects’’
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Fashola, who used the opportunity to reiterate government’s preparedness to create an enabling environment for would be investors to operate, stated that they can now channel their requests and enquiries to the Commission for licenses to generate power, build coal, solar plant etc.
He equally appealed to youths in the Niger Delta Area to embrace peace and dialogue as he lamented that Nigeria currently lost about 3000MW due to the vandalisation of gas pipelines that provide gas to the power plants in the Country.
The Minister said that with present capacity of 3500MW, the sector would have achieved 6500MW which will significantly increase the quantum of electricity to Industries and Households.
The Six Commissioners inaugurated by the Minister are; Engr. Sanusi Garba, Prof. Frank Okafor, Dafe Akpeneye. Others are, Nathan Roger Shattti, Dr. Musiliu Oseni and Dr. Moses Arigu.
Responding, the Vice- Chairman of the Commission, Engr. Sanusi Garba, on behalf of the newly inaugurated Commissioners, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the honour given to them to serve the nation as well as steer the affairs of the Commission.
Engr. Sanusi re-affirmed the commitment of the Commissioners in discharging their duties and promised to work diligently and honestly in regulating the affairs of the sector and promise not to betray the confidence charged on them.
Etore Thomas
DD Press
