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Power supply: FG to work with South Africa

By on July 11, 2014

The Federal Government on Wednesday announced its preparedness to work with South Africa in order to boost power supply in Nigeria.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, disclosed this while receiving a South African delegation led by the former Premier of Kwazulu-Natal and Treasurer-General of the African National Congress, Dr. Zwelini Mkhize.

Nebo, who played host to the delegation at his office in Abuja, assured the team that Nigeria was committed to the various Memoranda of Understanding signed when President Goodluck Jonathan visited South Africa last year.

The minister, in a statement by the Ministry of Power, said issues of coal-to-power, gas-to-power, energy metering, exchange of technical personnel, capacity building, power sector road shows, exhibition and conferences were all captured in the agreements.

He said, “We are ready to work together in all the areas identified as it is in the interest of both countries to provide the necessary impetus that will have good effects in Africa, as our countries carry the load for the entire continent.

“We are concerned about local content. We must share technical and professional ideas in engineering and technical know-how that will leapfrog us to meet the rest of the world. We must advance our mutual interests.”

Nebo recalled that during Jonathan’s visit, at least nine other MoUs were signed.

Mkhize said the delegation’s visit was to explore collaborative areas in order to fulfil the content of the MoUs signed in his country last year.

He stated that there were two developments in the South African energy sector that also informed the visit to Nigeria.

According to the statement, Mkhize said the Chief Executive Officer of Eskom, the dominant electricity company in South Africa, recently resigned, while a new minister was now in charge of the energy sector in the country.

“We are ready to work together with the Nigerian team in all areas identified. It is indeed a response to the huge demand for South Africa businessmen to build a long lasting relationship with Nigeria,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Infrastructure Group to facilitate effective implementation of the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan.

The agreement was signed in Abuja at the headquarters of the National Panning Commission on Wednesday.

The Secretary to the NPC, Mr. Ntufam Ugbo, signed on behalf of the government, while the Principal Consult Partner, African Infrastructure Group Limited, Dr. Onuoha Nnnachi, signed for the group.

Ugbo said the partnership with the group would help to achieve the objective of the infrastructure master plan for the nation.

 

 

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