Tinubu committed to tackling power sector challenges — Minister

Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, on Friday, said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is already fixing the foundational structural issues which have bedevilled the power sector over the years.

This is just as he described the ongoing improvement in power supply across the country as a tip of iceberg when compared with what is to come in the next few years.

Adelabu while speaking with journalists shortly after observing the Eid-el-Kabir prayers at the Agodi Prayer ground, Ibadan, expressed optimism that in the next few years, the sector will deliver far more improved service which wil see power supply serving every Nigerian home, household, businesses, institutions and industries.

According to him, “Let me say that the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement. Rome was not built in a day. And for you to build a solid building, there must be a very solid and reliable foundation. The power sector had some serious foundational structural issues which we have been able to correct with this administration.

“The little improvement that you have seen is just a tip of the iceberg. You still witness major improvement in power supply.”

He said the President has promised that he is going to light up the entire country and he is not relenting of that promise, stating that he still reiterated it on Thursday at the ceremony held in Port Harcourt where a power plant was commissioned.

“President Tinubu assured that his major objective is to make sure that he electrifies every Nigerian home, household, businesses, institutions and industries. And I can tell you that we are not relenting. What you have seen is just one and a half years.

“I resumed this job in September 2023. This is just end of May and you have seen a little. I promise you that within the next one year, you are going to see major improvement that will develop our industries, that will resuscitate our small and cottage businesses, that will bring happiness back to homes where everywhere is lit up and there will not be darkness”, he said.

The Minister stated further that Oyo State too will soon witness another level of serve delivery in the sector as the Federal Government recently concession the Ikere Gorge Dam to improve supply.

“And in Oyo State, we have so much potential and we have done so much. We just witnessed the Ikere Gorge hydro power plant which we just concessioned. This started in 1979. It was abandoned. But, we got it and we said we must bring light back to Oke Ogun, light back to Oyo State. So we have been able to achieve it.

“You have seen a lot of substations approved for Oyo State under the administration of President Tinubu. They say charity begins at home, Oyo State must witness improved lights, improved power supply.

“But I am appealing to our people that they should just trust us, they should be patient and retain the confidence and Nigeria, Oyo State will never remain the same. As you heard, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is going to light up the entire Nigeria and Oyo State will also witness it.”

On the importance of  Eid-el-Kabir, Adelabu appealed to Nigerians not to loose the lesson of the celebration, noting that the festivity is about sacrifice, peace and loving each other virtues that are essential for the sake of national peace, development and prosperity.

He said, “This is another Eid-el-kabir celebration, we thank Almighty Allah for sparing our lives to witness this year’s celebration. We give him all the thanks, all the glory, all the honor.

“The lesson of this celebration should not be lost in the ceremony.  It is about sacrifice, it is about peace, it is about loving each other for the sake of national peace, development and prosperity.

“We must be ready to sacrifice for the well-being of our family, of our neighbors, of the entire state and the entire country. We must love each other, we must preach peace, we must preach harmony, peaceful coexistence. Because if there is no peace in any nation, growth and development is far from such a nation.

“So peace starts from the family unit, to the community, to the city, to the state and to the country. We must accommodate each other, we must tolerate our shortcomings. At the end of the day, we will all be happy that we live in a peaceful and harmonious country.

“And definitely growth, development and prosperity will follow. And our country shall remain one peaceful united country forever. Where every family will witness and benefit from the dividend of democracy, as promised by our leader, by our president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“He is here to restructure and re-engineer the country, to ensure that Nigeria once again is able to gain its position in the committee of nations. And he’s been doing this in almost all the sectors. Because there will be temporary hardship, there will be temporary pains.

“But where there is no pain, there is no gain. Once we are able to withstand and tolerate this pain, the tenacity, we are going to witness growth and development. And this one has been showing gradually.

“People are already feeling it. But I promise that with what the federal cabinet is doing, under the leadership of our captain, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have the interest of Nigerians at heart. And they must benefit from this new administration that is actually the father of a new Nigeria.”

He urged the people to show more patience and trust in the President, which made the people elect him in the first place to benefit from the ongoing dividends of democracy.

“And what we are praying for is the patience of Nigerians, is the trust from Nigerians and is the confidence from Nigerians. The confidence which made you to elect him as the President. Retain that confidence and he will never disappoint you”, he stated.