FG Targets 10,000 Megawatts Of Electricity In Next Three Years, Says Buhari

Buhari-OsinbajoPresident Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said his administration has tasked itself on delivering 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation in the next three years.
Speaking at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, while addressing a two-day National Economic Council (NEC) retreat titled: “Nigerian State: Multi-centres of Prosperity”, the president said this year alone the administration would add 2,000 megawatts to the national grid.
He said, “Nigerians’ favourite talking point and butt of jokes is the power situation in our country. But, ladies and gentlemen, it is no longer a laughing matter. We must and by the grace of God we will put things right.
“In the three years left for this administration we have given ourselves the target of ten thousand megawatts distributable power. In 2016 alone, we intend to add two thousand megawatts to the national grid”.
President Buhari said the power sector had been privatized but admitted that that it had yet to show any signs of improvement in the quality of service.
He listed the common public complaints with the sector as constant power cuts destroying economic activity and affecting quality of life; high electricity bills despite power cuts; low supply of gas to power plants due to vandalization by terrorists; and obsolete power distribution equipment such as transformers.
Other complaints, he stated, are power fluctuations, which damage manufacturing equipment and household appliances; and low voltage which cannot run industrial machinery.
He said while the National Electricity Regulatory Commission has a vital job to ensure consumers get value for money and over-all public interest is safe-guarded; government has to fast-track completion of pipelines from gas points to power stations and provide more security to protect gas and oil pipelines.