Mkpoikana Udoma
09 January 2019, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — The Institute of Electrical Electronic Engineers of Nigeria, IEEEN, has called on the Federal Government to urgently make provision for a review of the country’s power policy for optimal service delivery.
President, Port Harcourt Chapter of IEEEN, Engr. Isaac Adekanya, said that the present structure of the power sector does not reflect the country’s local content development policy, as the input of indigenous experts in the power sector was missing.
Adekanya explained that to achieve the objectives of the local content development in the power sector, its members should be given opportunities to make inputs in policy formulation and implementation.
He also attributed the lapses in the power sector to the manner of allocation of operational licenses to Discos, Gencos, and Transiscos, saying that the allocations were not based on the consideration of effective service delivery.
According to him, “We, in the Institute of Electrical Electronic Engineering of Nigeria, are ready to make our contributions to the development of the Nigerian power sector.
“We need to be given the right opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the sector, and this calls for a stronger synergy between the institute and the government.”
The Institute also advocated that the Federal Government should make provision for increased electricity generation, in order to stimulate sustainable economic growth in the country.
Adekanya stated that the major incentive needed for economic growth and industrialisation in Nigeria is an effective power generation and transmission across the country.
He maintained that it is unsatisfactory that power generated in the country is concentrated at Oshogbo for transmission across the country, noting that such policy was not in the best interest of the nation’s economy, given the peculiar power needs of each state in the country.
In his words, “Nigeria as a nation comprising of various states, with their various power demands and needs.
“It is unsatisfactory for power to be distributed across the country from a concentrated station, as this may not represent the actual power needs of the states, the various states should be allowed to generate power based on comparative advantages.”