The Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, has expressed optimism that the South East will henceforth enjoy an improved electricity power supply following the launch of the Light-Up Nigeria project on Monday.
Mbah, who spoke on the crucial role of the power sector in revitalizing the Nigerian economy, said the Light-Up Nigeria project offers a new era of power and industrialization in the southeast region.
Naija News reports that Mbah stated this during the southeast business roundtable meeting and the inauguration of the Light-up Nigeria Project by Vice-President Kashim Shettima in Enugu on Monday
Mbah expressed his belief that once the obstacles plaguing the power sector are addressed, other sectors will naturally fall into place.
He commended the federal government and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) for their initiative to enhance power supply to industrial clusters in the southeast. The governor also enjoined industrialists in the region to key-in fully and take advantage of the initiative.
The Enugu State Governor said: “The Light up Nigeria project today is, in my view, a new dawn for power in the south-east and one of the most innovative initiatives in the power sector.
“This project is of critical importance since it deals with the power sector, which I believe is pivotal to economic growth. Indeed, if we fix power, a lot of other sectors would fall into place.
“This project ensures 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.
“The programme will certainly bring improved access to affordable power to the South East. This will, in turn, result in reduced power costs for the productive sector and enable them to enhance productivity and generate jobs.
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“This is critical in this day when the country is pushing to boost production and drive up exports to ultimately shore up our domestic currency.
“Therefore, this project aligns completely with our approach to governance in Enugu in the sense that it is a very disruptive initiative, which shows a deep ability to think outside the box. Today’s Nigeria requires a marked departure from business as usual to business unusual.”
Mbah emphasized that his government is dedicated to providing ongoing assistance to industrialists and other private investors throughout the state, in order to supplement the advancements in electricity brought about by the Light-up Nigeria Project.
