Sufficient and efficient power supply is inevitable for the economic growth of any nation.
This was the submission of the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, at a reception organized in his honour by the committee of friends to celebrate his appointment and to pledge their support to him in his new task.
The reception, which was held at the Ibadan Business School recently, courtesy of Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi, Sir Obafemi Oye and Chief Babajide Olatunde-Agbeja, drew distinguished Nigerians from all walks of life.
Adelabu appreciated his hosts for organizing the reception and thanked God for standing by him always.
He said his decision to resign from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as deputy Governor and joining politics in 2018 was a blessing in disguise, saying that if he had not resigned, he would have been part of the current crisis (around the apex bank), which he said would have prevented his appointment as Minister of Power.
“Fixing the power sector will require effective management and leadership to coordinate all the available resources, aside from adequate funding. This sector is the most sensitive sector in the economy that must not be held with levity.
“As an industrialist, I am aware that without energy, we cannot achieve any economic progress.
“Within the few months I assumed office, I was able to identify some of the challenges in the sector and how they could be resolved. Nigeria had invested billions of dollars in power generation, power transmission and power distribution, yet the masses do not feel the impact.
“However, this administration is committing efforts to invest in transmission and distribution infrastructure to boost capacity.
“We are very close to 24 hours of uninterrupted power. All house and other power consumers must be ready to pay their bills to prevent the sector from collapsing. It is in our power supply programme to install solar power in 25 universities and all teaching hospitals nationwide. My administration welcomes constructive suggestions from the general public for the progress of the sector.”
Speaking earlier, Asiwaju Fasuyi noted that the antecedents of Adelabu in his career had been amazing, and that his appointment by President Bola Tinubu to serve the nation at minister capacity “gladdened our hearts, knowing that he is an achiever and a reliable personality of repute in Nigeria.”
Quite a number of guests at the event took turns to testify to Chief Adelabu’s expertise to serve the nation at the ministerial level.
The Group Chairman, Dutum Company Limited, Engineer Tunde Runsewe, described Adelabu as a man of integrity, and a man capable of performing excellently well in the sector entrusted to him.
Also, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin enjoined the minister to commit his wealth of leadership experience to transform the power sector to an enviable position that the nation would be proud of.
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