The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola , has restated the
Federal Government’s determination to develop stable power supply, good road
network and affordable housing for Nigerians.
This is contained in a statement made available
to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday
in Abuja by the Minister’s Special Adviser
(Communications), Hakeem Bello .
It said that Fashola gave the assurance when he
spoke at the African Alliance 2016 Investors Day
in Lagos.
It stated that the ministry was determined to
achieve results by doing things differently to
develop sustainable infrastructure to convert
current challenges to opportunities for economic
growth.
He was quoted to have decried the problems
inherent in the entire power chain, “from
distribution to transmission, generation and gas
supply, including a cross-cutting liquidity
problem”.
The statement said the existing gap of meter
supply in the distribution segment of the power
chain had created enormous opportunities for
local production for estimated three million
consumers.
“Local producers or investors are expected to
meet a significant local content participation that
would help Small and Medium Enterprises
supply an estimated three million consumers
who needed to be metered. Apart from
metering, the distribution companies have aging
assets: Transformers, ring main units, poles,
cables, breakers and so on, some of which are
20 to 30 years old. It is a problem on one hand
and enormous opportunity on the other hand,”
it said.
The statement stated that the ministry planned
to complete about 47 transmission projects to
deliver 1,000 MW more carrying capacity this
year to expand national growth plan.
The statement said that the Federal
Government, in spite of low oil revenue, had
upgraded budgetary allocation to ensure
completion of existing roads across the six geo-
political zones.
“This is the first step to sustainability. But it is
not enough to budget. It is important to
implement the budget and use the finances
properly. We plan to phase 206 roads over three
years to ensure completion or substantial
progress of existing roads with heaviest traffic
and strategic economic significance in each of
the six geo-political zones.”
The statement also reported the Minister as
saying that an agreed common purpose and
parameters must be defined to have a
sustainable and affordable housing design that
had national acceptability.
The minister disclosed that the Federal
Government, in partnership with the private
sector, was on a Nigerian housing model that
would consider geo-political cultural differences.
About NAN
The News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) was established by the
Federal Government of Nigeria
in May 1976 to gather and distribute news on
Nigeria and cover events of interest to Nigeria at
the international level for the benefit of the
Nigerian Media and the Public.









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