FG assures power companies of support

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola says the Federal Government will support power companies in Nigeria to resolve its generation problem.

Fashola, who gave the assurance in Abeokuta during a tour of Olorunsogo Power Plant in Ogun, called for a comprehensive report of challenges facing the companies.

He acknowledged that problems facing the companies were different, depending on location and hence the need to call for the reports.

The minister said that when he gets such reports, the ministry would present it to the Federal Executive Council for consideration and appropriate action.

“As the supervising ministry, there are some things that are not in our control.

“If there is water problem in any of the hydro dams, it is the problem of the Ministry of Water Resources.

“The problem of gas supply is that of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources,’’ he said.

The minister expressed optimism that the gas programme recently initiated by the Federal Government would address the challenges of gas supply to the generation companies.

He said the capacity of power generation in the country was about 12,000 megawatt but could not be used because of challenges of either transmission or gas shortage.

In his remark, Mr Monsuru Afinni, the Managing Director of Pacific Energy, managers of the Plant, commended the minister for visiting the power station.

He said the installed capacity of the plant was 335 megawatts, adding that generation had hovered between 151 and 186 megawatts in the past weeks because of gas constraints.

He highlighted the challenges facing the plants to include scarce foreign exchange to pay its expatriates, procurement of equipment and the deplorable state of the road linking the plant.