The Minister of Power, Works and
Housing, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday said the Federal Government has given
State governments autonomy to produce power so as to ensure improved power
supply in the country.
According to him, this was
because nothing in the recent Electricity Power Sector Reforms Act, EPSRA,
deterred states from doing such.
He, however, said that interested
states must obtain the necessary permit and licenses from the Nigerian
Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) depending on the areas it wants to
invest in.
The Minister made this know while
speaking at the 18th monthly power sector operators meeting at the Kumbotso
transmission station, Kano State.
He said: “Let me also make this point clear today, I have heard statements made that State governments should be allowed to produce their own power.
“The truth is that there is nothing in the Electricity Power Sector Reforms Act that stops any state from doing so, so the only thing they must do is to get NERC’s permit and licenses depending on whatever categorization of investment they want to do whether it is distribution or generation.
“So, let me be clear about that, I will support any state that wants to get involved in generating and also distributing power under its own arrangement.”
I think this is a good development but come to think of it. When BRF was Lagos state Governor under ACN,he was not allowed to generate pewer for Lagos but now we are hearing that no law against it in the first place. So what actually stopped him? Was it Obasanjo's antics? May God help this country.
ReplyDeleteI meant....was it Jonathan's antics? Not Obasanjo.
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