The Federal Government has initiated efforts to protect the nation’s critical power infrastructure as it intensifies its drive to provide quality, stable, and affordable electricity to Nigerians.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Civil-Military Committee on Energy Security on Wednesday in Abuja, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, highlighted vandalism as a major concern for the Federal Government, particularly regarding critical national assets.
Emphasizing the seriousness with which the issue of vandalism is being addressed, he urged Nigerians to take ownership of these national assets, warning that the continuous damage to such infrastructure would hinder the nation’s development and efforts to provide electricity.
To demonstrate the Federal Government’s commitment to providing electricity, the minister noted that President Bola Tinubu had signed legislation to deregulate the power sector, removing the obstacles that had previously hindered its efficient performance.
“This meeting with you today is very important and critical to us all. We must let the vandals know that it will no longer be business as usual. We are all aware of the damage these vandals have inflicted on our national assets. Every day, they prevent us from providing stable and affordable electricity to homes, industries, and all critical sectors of our economy. This must stop, and that is what we are determined to achieve.
“As a key stakeholder, we appreciate your concern and the efforts you have made to help us secure our assets. Let me say here that power is essential to everything we do, and protecting its infrastructure should be a top priority for all of us as Nigerians.”
As part of efforts to improve and build on existing infrastructure, Adelabu stated that he has taken measures to replace outdated structures that previous governments have neglected, which has contributed to the ongoing challenges with power supply.
“It is shameful for a nation of over 200 million people to still be operating on 5,000 megawatts of electricity at this stage. Let me tell you that some of the transformers we are still using today are 64 years old. How can we expect such equipment to meet our needs today? Those maintaining them no longer even understand them.
This is a reflection of the actions and inactions of the past 60 years. We have not done what is right in this sector for the past 60 years, and that is what we are now correcting.
“It is President Tinubu’s desire to move away from this narrative and provide Nigerians with the energy and power supply they deserve, and that is what we are set to achieve in the ministry.
We want to eradicate energy poverty in Nigeria. Our focus now is to foster a new energy development framework that will make electricity available to all Nigerians, wherever they reside.
The power sector is a priority for this government, and once we get it right, all other sectors will also improve,” he said.
The minister commended the group members for their patriotism, zeal, and commitment to safeguarding the nation’s assets, urging them to continue in that spirit.
He promised the ministry’s cooperation and collaboration with them in their assignment, emphasizing that the protection of the nation’s assets is the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
He also informed the group of the ministry’s mandate and how these goals would be realized in the new administration, noting that one of the challenges the ministry faces is the refusal of some Nigerians to pay for the electricity they consume, while others bypass their meters to avoid payment.
Reflecting on the Ministry’s activities over the past year, Adelabu reported that he had managed to increase power generation from the 4,000 megawatts inherited to over 5,000 megawatts.
“By August 21, I will have been in office for one year. Thanks to the policy initiatives implemented by President Tinubu, which we have pursued vigorously, we have been able to increase our megawatts from the 4,000 we inherited to 5,050. We are making progress and will continue to improve as we move forward.
However, Nigerians must cooperate with us. We have consumers who refuse to pay their bills, and we face the issue of power theft. These problems must stop as we intensify our efforts to serve Nigerians better,” he said.
The leader of the group, Mr. Adams Otako, in his remarks, emphasized that the importance of the energy sector to the nation’s development motivated their commitment to securing these national assets.
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According to him, the Committee was formed in 2019 and has since devoted its efforts to protecting the country’s assets in whatever way possible.
“We believe that the energy sector is the bedrock of national security. Protecting it is a collective responsibility, and we want to remind Nigerians that until we take ownership of governance, we cannot develop. If the power sector does not function properly, we cannot function maximally as a nation and as a people.
“We also realize that many of your initiatives and policies are often misunderstood by the public. We want you to keep us informed so that we can help dispel any misinformation.
“We are composed of patriotic Nigerians. When we decided to form the committee, we approached the Defence Headquarters, which is why you see representation from virtually all the security agencies among us.
“We also have members from the National Orientation Agency, the Civil Defence, the State Security Department, the Fire Service, and other civil society groups,” Otako said.
