Vice President Kashim Shettima has implored the Rural Electrification Company (REA) to double efforts within the bid to speed up Nigeria’s journey in the direction of common electrical energy entry and make sure that extra Nigerians profit from elevated energy provide.
Accordingly, the VP granted REA’s request to enter right into a partnership with the Nationwide Financial Council (NEC) to have entry to state governors and interact them within the drive in the direction of the electrification of communities throughout the nations.
That is simply because the company mentioned it has secured a grant of $750 million from the World Financial institution and African Improvement Financial institution (AfDB) for rural electrification tasks throughout Nigeria.
Shettima, in accordance with an announcement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, gave the cost on Friday when a delegation from REA, led by its Managing Director/CEO, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, made a presentation on the Nationwide Electrification and Implementation Plan (NESIP) on the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“To me, I recognize you, I like you, I respect you, however we have to assume exterior the field and we have to assume huge,” VP Shettima who’s Chairman of NEC advised the REA delegation, assuring them of most help from the Council and the state governors.
“Essentially the most startling revelation of this presentation has to do with the correlation between entry to electrical energy and monetary inclusion. Therefore, I imagine our job is reduce out for us, and I need to guarantee you that we’re going to companion along with your company in order that we will meet the aspiration of the Nigerian folks for entry to electrical energy,” he added.
Urging REA to double efforts in giving extra Nigerians entry to electrical energy, the Vice President counseled the company for doing an impressive job, taking into cognizance its efforts in a number of different sectors.
He nonetheless scored the company low when it comes to publicity, noting that it has carried out poorly in creating consciousness and holding Nigerians abreast with ongoing efforts to handle the electrical energy deficit within the nation.
He mentioned, “I’m afraid it’s good to overhaul your PR administration group. Folks must know – Nigerians must know.
“At one cut-off date, we have been getting 5 megawatts from the grid for Borno State. Only one plant is producing 12 megawatts for the College of Maiduguri and the Educating Hospital. However you haven’t been publicising your actions. So, I’ll ask you to take a look at your media group and see to it that you simply get the loudest decibel within the social media area and the standard media”.
Granting the company’s request to collaborate with NEC and the state governors for the electrification mission, VP Shettima requested the administration of REA to have interaction the Particular Adviser to the President on NEC and Local weather Change, Rukaiya El-Rufai, with a view to make a proper presentation in one of many NEC conferences.
This, he mentioned, is important “in order that the governors too, who’re very important in our drive in the direction of electrifying our communities, can have a buy-in out of your submissions.”
Earlier in his presentation, REA’s Managing Director listed three most important sources of funding for the company, together with the World Financial institution, the African Improvement Financial institution (AfDB), and Electrical energy Market, which is the surplus income of the liquidator and grants which comes from partnership with worldwide improvement businesses the place funds are usually supplied to develop totally different fashions and ideas within the nation.
Aliyu famous that earlier than his appointment, he was heading the mission administration unit of the REA accountable for implementing a $550 million REA mission funded by the World Financial institution and AfDB.
Aliyu mentioned the company succeeded in securing one other approval for one more grant of $750 million, explaining that the largest public sector-funded mission and implementation is about to begin.
He highlighted among the electrical energy tasks to incorporate the 12 megawatts plant in Maiduguri, which he mentioned is about to be accomplished and commissioned within the subsequent two months, including that the mission is serving the College of Maiduguri and the Educating Hospital with ongoing plans to increase it to the water therapy plant within the state.
The MD additional famous that the brand new administration of the company is specializing in six key strategic areas amongst which is the Nationwide Electrification and Strategic Implementation Plan (NESIP) which outlines the framework that aligns with the federal authorities’s imaginative and prescient of a sustainable and inclusive vitality.
One other is streamlining the coordination between the sub-nationals in the direction of the implementation of electrification throughout the nation.
