The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prof. Chinedu Nebo

  • Fed Govt unveils TCN’s plan today

    Fed Govt unveils TCN’s plan today

    The Ministry of Power will today unveil the expansion plans of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

    Power Minister Prof. Chinedu Nebo who made this known in Abuja, noted that the inaugural meeting with the newly constituted board of the TCN scheduled for yesterday, was deferred because of the Chairman Hamman Tukur’s absence.

    He added that due to the critical nature of the launch, all TCN stakeholders who were at the yesterday’s aborted meeting were expected to witness the expansion plans today.

    Nebo, however, disclosed that the members were billed to meet the Permanent Secretary Ambassador Godknows Agali in a brief close door meeting. As we rise, the members of the board will remain for a very brief meeting by the Permanent Secretary to explain a few things,” he said.

    On the deferred meeting, he said: “The meeting is not going to be held because the chairman of the board is not here; because of that, the meeting has been deferred to tomorrow (today ) by four o’clock.

    “I would like to appeal for the understanding of all these distinguished members of the Governing Board of Transmission Company of Nigeria for the inconvenience that this would definitely cause you.

    “Kindly bear with us.”

  • $1.6b for power transmission facilities coming

    $1.6b for power transmission facilities coming

    • ‘Nigerians to feel impact of power sector privatisation soon’

    About $1.6 billion has been designated for the expansion of power transmission facilities in the country, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has said.

    Nebo disclosed that the fund is made up of loans expected from the World Bank, African Development Bank, Euro Bond Issue and the Chinese Exim Bank.

    The Minister, who spoke at the State House yesterday after the meeting of the Presidential Action Committee on Power (PACP), chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, said the forum addressed issues bordering on expanding the transmission network, so as to ensure that there is adequate willing capacity to all the power generating plants for the benefit of Nigerians.

    He said: “The Government is adequately prepared, everybody is excited at what has just happened, that we had such a significant compliance of all the proffered bidders who bought the GENCOS and the DISCOS as you can very well tell, most of them have paid up and most people thought it was never going to happen,” adding that what was considered impossible has become a reality and that Nigeria is gong from a public sector dominated power sector to a private sector driven power sector.

    “We believe that this is very good for the country, we are celebrating that, the entire nation is agog with it, the International Community is amazed that this miracle could happen in Nigeria and we are so happy that everybody sees that it was a fragile situation because no country in Africa has taken the quantum leap to do the entire generation and distribution company utilities like that in one fell swoop.”

    Nebo said the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) briefed the PACP on the things to be done to ensure that all the power generated would be available and also to point out the funding gaps, assuring that the government was prepared to address the issues raised.

    He said the governent is satisfied that there was significant compliance of all the proffered bidders who bought the power generating and distribution companies, adding that most of the preferred bidders have paid up.

    “We believe that this is very good for the country, we are celebrating that, the entire nation is agog with it, the International Community is amazed that this miracle could happen in Nigeria,” he said, adding that no county in Africa has taken the quantum leap to do the entire generation and distribution company utilities like that in one fell swoop.

    He said even though the country has recorded substantial stability in the provision of power, there are still challenges, especially in vandalism of power delivery infrastructure

    He assured that with the progress recorded so far in the privatisation of the power sector, there is great expectation that it would record more success than the telecoms companies.

    Meanwhile, Jonathan has assuered that with the sale of Nigeria’s power generation and distribution companies, Nigerians will soon begin to enjoy the positive benefits of the privatisation of the sector.

    He spoke at a closed door meeting with a delegation of the Anioma Peoples’ Congress led by the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Jonathan, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, confirmed that all successful bidders for the power generation and distribution companies had completed the payments required for the sales process.

  • Minister, TCN board meet today

    Minister, TCN board meet today

    The inaugural meeting of the newly reconstituted board of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) with the Minister of Power has been scheduled for today. It was initiated by the Minister, Prof. Chinedu Nebo.

    Although the Chief Press Secretary in the Ministry, Timothy Oyedeji could not disclose the agenda of the meeting yesterday, it learnt that it would focus on how to improve the power transmission network.

    President Goodluck Jonathan last Friday approved a new management for the Management of Nigerian staff for the Tranmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

    The reconstitution, according to the ministry’s statement, is in line with the Presidency’s effort to re-position the power sector, and in particular, to strengthen the TCN.

    The statement noted that the appointees are to work with the Manitoba Management staff on alternate basis.

    The appointees include: Dr. Abubakar Tambuwal Atiku, Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Sunny Iroche, Director, Finance and Accounts, Mrs. Halima Aliyu, Director, Human Resources and Corporate Services, Engr. Transmission Service Provider, M.M. Gumel, Director System Operations, Mrs. Veronica Osuhor, Director Market Operations, Allen Biakpara, Director Information/Communication Technology, Fatima Lawan, General Manager, Legal Services/Company Secretary and Mrs. Segun Olagunju, General Manager, Public Affairs.

    Kande Daniel added that President Jonathan has also approved the re-constitution of the Supervisory Board of the TCN.

    She said: “The Chairman of the 17-member Board is Haman Tukur, while the Vice Chairman is Akinsola Akinfemiwa. Other members are: Garba Sanusi, Rep. of Ministry of Power, Prof. Peter Akpor, Rep of Attorney General of the Federation, Mrs. L. Shuaibu, Rep of Hon. Minister of Finance, Okwudili Ikejiani, Representing the Minister of Petroleum, Mike Uzoigwe, Rep. of Gencos, and O.C. Akamnonu, Rep. of Discos.

    Others are Dr. Sam Egwu, Jonathan I. Adole, Prof. Aako Ugbage, Dr. Ferguson Tobins, Representative of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria, Managing Director, TCN, ED, Systems Operation (TCN) and Two Representatives of State Governors.

    “Furthermore, the President has approved the constitution of a Transitional Advisory Support Group comprising some erstwhile management staff of the TCN and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company.

    Members of the Group are: Engr. Jonathan Ndiagwalukwe (Chairman), Engr. Dennis Ukwueze, Mr. B.T Danmagaji, Engr. John Ayodele and Mr. I Apuye.”

  • Alison-Madueke, Nebo, others for PIB confab Thursday

    The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, lawmakers, top officials and regulators in the oil and gas industry will converge on Lagos on Thursday to chart course for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and other issues.

    The event, which is the yearly August conference of the National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC), has as theme: “PIB: Harmonisation and implementation for economy growth,” will hold on Thursday, August 22 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos by 9am.

    In a in a statement, the Secretary of the association, Yunus Yusuf, said Alison-Madueke will be the special guest of honour while the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will deliver the keynote address.

    The Minster of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo will speak on “Driving capacity growth in liberalised power sector,” while the PIB Team lead, Ministry of Petroleum, Abiye Membere, will deliver the lead paper.

    The Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), George Osahon, will speak on “Expectations and challenges of effective regulation in deregulated regime,” and the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Ernest Nwapa, will talk on “Three years of NCDMB: Achievements and challenges.”

  • Pipeline vandalism reduces power output by 1600MW

    Pipeline vandalism reduces power output by 1600MW

    About 1,600 Mega Watts (MWs) of electricity have been lost to gas pipeline vandalism, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has said.

    Nebo, who addressed reporters yesterday in Abuja, with Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, at the end of the joint meeting of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) adduced political motives as some of the reasons behind gas pipelines’ vandalism.

    Out of the 1,600 MWs drop in power, he said, about 460 MWs reduction was caused by low level of water in Kainji, Shiroro and Jebba dams.

    He said: “It is important to note that with regards to the busting of gas pipelines and vandalism of the pipelines that bring gas, there isn’t any significant commercial value behind the action. It is sheer madness, or may be essentially politically motivated, just to cause damage to the entire country and to Nigerians.

    “What these young men steal from the transformers are copper. When you put the total sum of the most recent one that they vandalised, all the copper they collected that they will sell as scrap is not worth up to N10,000, but in the interim, they have knocked off one million people from power supply, and also of course it caused  the DISCO N27 million to fix the damage.”

    Nebo appealed to Nigerians to lend their support and help protect the equipment from these vandals.

    “I think it is instructive for the entire populace to know what has been happening recently. A couple of months ago, the western axis of the gas pipeline leading to the power plants in the west were cannibalised, resulting in very severe damages that caused a sharp drop in power supply. That has since been addressed and the damages are been repaired,” he said.

    Nebo explained that a couple of weeks ago, the Akoloma Plant in the Eastern axis was also vandalised, saying the damages were quite extensive. However, he said a team of experts went to work and restored it, adding that this led to the restoration of power to the Afam plant eventually.

    The minister lamented that when people were rejoicing in some parts of the country where power supply was stabilising, another sabotage was discovered a few days ago at Akoloma, which he confirmed was receiving attention.

    He assured that in the next six weeks, the western axis would be fixed, and that a portion of the 1,600MW already lost, would be recovered.

    “We are appealing for understanding that the load shedding we are encountering needs the support of everybody in educating these vandals to stop sabotaging government’s efforts…”

  • Covenant University holds 8th convocation

    Covenant University holds 8th convocation

    Covenant University would hold its eighth convocation ceremony next week.

    The ceremony tagged: “The Release of Eagles 2013” would take place from July 24 to 28 at the University Chapel, Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State.

    The five-day event would begin with special convocation assembly, after which the Chancellor of institution, Dr. David Oyedepo, would address a World Press Conference.

    Also lined up for the ceremony is a convocation lecture on Thursday, July 25. This would be delivered by a former Executive Secretary, National Council for Tertiary Education, Ghana, Dr. Paul Effah.

    He would speak on the topic: “Repositioning African Universities for Excellence: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives.”

    The award of First and Higher Degrees, and presentation of prizes to worthy grandaunts holds on Friday, July 26. The keynote address for the day would be delivered by the Honourable Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo. He would speak on “Transformational Leadership and the Quest for Global Relevance”

    The ceremony ends with a Special Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, July 28 at Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota.

     

  • Why power crises persist, by minister

    Why power crises persist, by minister

    •Fed Govt begins payment to DISCOs

    The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, yesterday explained that the flurry of system collapses and the fall in the amount of generated electricity were caused by poor maintenance habit, vandalism, sabotage and poor funding.

    Nebo, who admitted that Nigeria is undergoing very difficult moments in the power sector, spoke at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Power while receiving a report containing recommendation on how to address the incessant system collapse that had characterised the power sector in recent times.

    The Minster said: “For instance, we lost close to 1,600megawatts of power at the weekend on account of vandalism. Our gas pipelines were vandalised and this knocked off our power plants. We urge our compatriots to stop such acts and behaviours that undermine the growth and development of our nation.

    “We are facing very difficult times in the power sector. It will interest you to know that some of the problems are manmade, such as poor maintenance habit, vandalism, sabotage and poor funding.”

    The Minister also confirmed that the ministry had commenced the disbursement the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) to Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and Generation Companies (GENCOs to enable them solve their problems.

    Minister of State for Power, Ms. Zainab Kuchi, in her address, lamented that Nigeria’s power situation was very bad.

    “Power situation is very bad in this country and we need to run faster than we can to meet up. We will give the recommendations our best shot and hope to address the issues as soon as possible,” she said.

    The Chairman of the 13-member Technical Investigative Panel on System Collapse, Mr. Fatai Olapade, said unqualified personnel at the Transmission Company of Nigeria were also liable for the problems in the sector.

    “TCN for the past 17 years has not been employing people. Most of the operators are old and some of them are inexperienced; they need to be trained. So there should be capacity building.

    “But all other issues are purely technical, like communication and others. The most important part of it is the vegetation. We are in the raining season and there are some trees that grow so fast that when wind blows they can touch the lines and cause transient fault.”

    The panel two weeks ago by Federal Government and mandated it to come up with recommendations on how to deal with the problem in the sector.

    Commenting on the payments to disco, the Minister, who did not mention the amount released to the companies, noted that although the fund would not be sufficient for funding the 11 DISCOs and six GENCOs but it will make a significant impact.

    Olapade noted that p art of the reasons for system collapses was due to the zero allocation to the DISCOs and GENCOs  in the 2013 budget.

    He said Nigeria’s power sector recorded three system collapses within the period of the panel’s assignment.

  • Power sector gas debt reduces to N20b

    Power sector gas debt reduces to N20b

    PHCN: Govt to ensure adherence to labour law

    The power sector’s gas debt has reduced from its estimated  N30 billion in 2012 to about N20 billion, the Minister of Power, Prof  Chinedu Nebo has said.

    Speaking at the Nigeria Economic  Summit Group forum in Abuja, yesterday, Nebo explained that “as at the second half of last year, the debt was about N30 billion and now it has been reduced to just above N20 billion.”

    He said the “market operator commenced the payment of 100 per cent of NGC (Nigerian Gas Company) invoice in August 2012, and we expect the trend to continue. In other words, we know about this debt and we are working to ensure the right things are done.”

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison -Madueke, said the Federal Government will bridge the gas to power demand gap by 2015.

    Mrs. Alison -Madueke, who was represented by the Group Executive Director (GED), Gas and Power of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. David Ige, said it was estimated that by year end, gas demand by National Integrated Power Projects ( NIPP) will soar by an estimated 340mmcf/day coming notably from Geregu and Ihovor.

    Her words:  “Several efforts are being taken to enssure gas supply grows in line with this demand. In the short term to end 2013, about 130 mmcf/d is expected in the west. However, between 2014/2015 almost 1000mmcf/d is forecast to be added. This will bridge the gap in demand by NIPP.

    “In the East, the short term objective will be to utilize already available gas for which either delays in completion of the power plants, or other infrastructural projects prevent gas usage. These are expected to be addressed through 2014/2015, thereby bridging shortfalls in the East. In essence, with our current supply plans, there is confidence that NIPP demand can be met by 2015.”

    She said the pipelines to Geregu, Olorunshogo, Alaoji and Omotosho have all been completed and providing permanent supply arteries to the plants enough to meet “both current and future demand requirements.”

    Mrs. Alison-Madueke noted that given the scale of the ongoing infrastructure projects, the sector is vulnerable to the usual challenges of project slippages and contractor related issues, adding that these were being addressed to ensure minimal impact on the supply agenda.

    She said that a key dis-incentive to supply growth is the payment performance of the power sector,  adding that for 2013, the overriding  issue is less about gas supply sufficiency, but more about dealing with electricity transmission problems.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo yesterday said in the emerging new scheme of things, the Federal  Government will ensure that private sector operators adhere strictly to the nation’s labour laws, and treat Nigerian electricity workers with the dignity they deserve.

    He stated that  the nation’s electricity workers are a most valuable asset, whose experience and competencies are indispensable, even in the new dispensation of privatisation.

  • FG empowers bulk electricity trader with $1b

    FG empowers bulk electricity trader with $1b

    The Federal Government has empowered the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader with the sum $1billion, the minister of power said on Thursday.

    Prof. Chinedu Nebo, who disclosed this while receiving a delegation of USAID in Abuja, said the empowerment was approved in form of bond.

    According to a statement signed by the ministry’s Deputy Director/Head of Press, Timothy Oyedeji, the minister said the fund would enable the trader purchase electricity from the generating companies.

    Prof. Nebo restated the Federal Government commitment to the privatization of the power sector by affirming that there is no going back on contents and details of the approved roadmap.

    He stated that in order to strengthen and take care of the gaps that have been identified, the government would soon approve Road Map II for the sector.

    “We must hit the ground running. We do appreciate the enormous work you have done in the past, especially in the area of capacity building. We need more help now even in the area of strengthening of institutions that will implement our plan.

    “We are calling for more investment, we want genuine investors to take advantage of the revolution that is about to happen in the sector,” the minister said.