Power generation rises to 7,000 megawatts, says Fashola

Nigeria’s current power generation has reached 7,000 megawatts, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has disclosed.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Fashola, who said this yesterday in Calabar at the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing 4th Edition Retreat for top directors, heads of units and chief executives of agencies and parastatals, noted that although there was still more to be done, the ministry had moved forward from where it was three years ago.

“Three years ago, the story was that power generation was the main problem of Nigeria. The story was that the distribution companies were complaining that they did not have enough energy to distribute to Nigerians.

“We were distributing averagely 2,690 megawatts of electricity to Nigerians, but today, that story has changed, distribution has risen to 5,222 megawatts, an all-time national high.

“Transmission has reached 7,000, while generation has reached 7,000. The problem has not finished, but all we can say is that we have made progress.”

The minister added that the Federal Government was constructing roads in virtually all the 36 states some of which were through collaborative efforts, as well as direct interventions.

According to him, the present administration has spent over N300billion on roads construction since coming to power three years ago, adding that before the present administration, there was no housing policy, but now we have one.

Fashola commended members of staff of the ministry for their support and teamwork, noting that without teamwork, the ministry would not have been able to achieve much.

He said the theme of the retreat, ‘Goal Setting and Goal Reaching for a Focused Team,’ was meant to reinforce the team spirit, while setting out on its goals in the next 90 days.

“It is a team that wins. We will go together as a team. If we bind together, everything is possible,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr. Louis Edozien, said the retreat was meant to appraise the performance of the ministry in the past 90 days.

Edozien, who was represented by a Director, Mr. Ahmed Abdul, added that the retreat would also afford the top management the opportunity to strategise on the plan of action for the next quarter.