Jonathan Promises Reasonably Stable Power Supply Across Nigeria By Mid 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday promised reasonably stable power supply in the country by the middle of 2014.

The President made this promise while inaugurating the Phase II 500mw Omotosho National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) Plant in Ondo State. He added that the Federal Government was targeting 4,700mw from 10 NIPPs which he said would be completed before the end of the first quarter of 2014. According to him, the 10 NIPP projects will be handed over to the private sector next year after completion and inauguration.

He expressed optimism that the private sector, which had invested $3 billion into the nation's power sector, would do what it did in the banking and the

telecommunication sectors. Mr. Jonathan implored workers of defunct PHCN, who had yet to receive their entitlements and severance package, to be patient, adding that they would be paid soon.

The President enjoined them not to go on strike or do anything that could affect the government's effort at ensuring reasonable efficiency in the power sector. Prior to his speech, Mr. Jonathan directed that a minute's silence be observed in honour of the late Governor Olusegun Agagu of Ondo State, during whose tenure as Minister of Power the project started.

Gov. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state commended the President for his commitment to the improvement of the power sector.

He said the State Government had also embarked on the building of 30mw NIPP at Omotosho area of the state. The governor said the project was embarked upon pursuant to the government's commitment to industrial development of the state.

He added that the President would be invited soon for the commissioning of the project. Mr. Mimiko told the President that the Omotosho power plant would have the desired impact only when the necessary transmission was done. He stated that the transmission infrastructure needed to be built in three areas of the state. Earlier, the Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, directed that 32kva transmission lines be installed from Omotosho through Ore to Ondo and Akure. Mr. Nebo said the transmission line, when completed, would relieve the Osogbo-Akure transmission line currently serving the state.

He said the NIPP was contributing 1,600mw into the national grid. The minister said the formal handover of the defunct PHCN facilities to the investors would be done in the next two weeks.