APC promises radical means to meet energy needs

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said the ruling party would use “radical means” to fulfill its promises on power to Nigerians, rather than follow the conventional methods.

Its spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, spoke in Abuja while addressing stakeholders in the energy sector at a one-day electricity market conference organised by Stratex pro.

“ One of the promises APC made to the electorate was that it would stabilise power in Nigeria.

“Nigerians would judge APC government in the 2019 general election on the level of power stability in the country.

“To guarantee that APC fulfills this promise, it has to think out of the box to ensure that this promise is fulfilled, otherwise it would not be able to face the electorate in the next election,’’ he said.

Mohammed said the Federal Government would use solar energy as a means to ensure that Nigerians got adequate power.

According to him, APC would use the small-scale method of power generation and encourage small-scale power investors to invest in the industry.

He said if government could encourage 20 investors to invest one megawatt per person, this would amount to 20 megawatts and it would increase the quantum of power.

Mohammed explained that the old method of waiting for five or six years to build Hydro or Thermal plants would not allow APC to fulfill its promise of stable power.

He explained that there were two things working for APC.

The party spokesman said although APC had not done anything on power since it took over, yet power had stabilised.

He said if APC could increase and stablise the power situation, it would be easy to achieve its promise of creating jobs.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Dr Godknows Igali, called on the Federal Government to assist the investors on solar power by getting access to land from state governments.

He said many investors, who wanted to invest on solar energy, found it difficult to acquire land and C of O from state governments.

According to him, much was done by the Federal Government to develop the power industry.

He listed Zungeru Hydro Power Station that would produce 700 MW and Mambilla Hydro Power Plant that would also produce 3,500 MW as some of the plants government was building.

Igali explained that the major challenges facing power production in Nigeria were the North and South loops, which had not been fixed.

The nation