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Efficient power will double growth rate – Minister

By on May 2, 2014

Efficient power supply can increase Nigeria’s growth rate to double digits, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has said.

According to him, Nigeria may emerge as one of the top economies of the world if the power situation in the country is satisfactorily addressed.

Nebo, in a statement from the Federal Ministry of Power, also called for the training and development of engineers that would man the power sector.

He said, “It is obvious that power stands as a key to industrial revolution in Nigeria. We are rejoicing that Nigeria is now the number one economy in Africa, growing at a rate of more than 6.5 per cent annually.

“But experts have said that if power is corrected and we have enough of it in Nigeria, our growth rate might get to double digits and that is a challenge for all of us. We are now number 26th economy in the world; power alone can get us faster than anything else to one of the top (economies) in the world.”

The minister promised that the Federal Government would continue to do everything possible to reposition the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria to enable it to give an indigenous face to the sector through relevant training modules.

Nebo spoke at the NAPTIN permanent site while on an inspection tour of construction work on its administrative tower.

He said the sector would take advantage of the local content initiative of NAPTIN by making it a centre for capacity building.

He said, “Within the limited available resources, the institute has been prudent, hence we must ensure that NAPTIN is not marginalised as the institute remains the bedrock of a functional power sector human capital building institute.”

Nebo said the President’s recent employment of a large number of engineers had broken over 16 years of lull in the recruitment of professionals into the sector.

The Director-General, NAPTIN, Mr. Reuben Okeke, said the project was at 70 per cent completion stage and would be inaugurated before the end of the year.

He said the structure was envisaged to incorporate electricity generation and distribution schools, as well as a transmission substation that would serve as an instructional facility, while also supplying electricity to the industrial layout.

 

[Punch]