Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adekola Adelabu, has inaugurated the Ministerial Power Sector Working Group. The inauguration took place on Tuesday, July 17, 2024, in Abuja with directors and agencies under the supervision of the Ministry also signing performance contract to ensure proper tracking and supervision of projects.
The performance contract was signed on behalf of the agencies by the Chief Executive Officers (CEO) and the Permanent Secretary on behalf of the Directors. Agencies present at the signing ceremony include the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Rural Electrification Agency (REA), National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN), Nigerian Electricity Management and Safety Agency (NEMSA), NELMCO, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET).
Speaking at the event, the Minister said the inauguration of the working group would serve as a platform for supervisory, monitoring and oversight control and clarify issues with detailed explanation of what is happening in the sector, since the activities are inter-related.
Adelabu, who acknowledged the existence of the meeting in the past, said it was necessary to re-introduce and improve on it, emphasising that the major reason for re-introducing the meeting of the working group was to create a platform for information sharing, dissemination and sector wide communication medium, which he described as key to greater productivity.
He revealed that the meeting of the working group would serve more like a backup for sector co-ordination and centralized project management.
While dissecting some of the benefits of the meeting of the working groups, the Minister said: “Another aspect is the synergy that we tend to gain from coming together for the first year and capacity optimisation.”
Adelabu said the meeting would further serve as a training platform and a “refresher opportunity for optimum representation of the power sector.”
He enjoined the working group to work hard in order to achieve the set target.
“What we are doing at the end of the meeting is to ensure the signing of the performance contract which is like a bond that will compel each and every one of us to deliver on our target.
“In November 2023, as Minister of Power, I signed a performance contract with the President which actually summarised what the President expects from us.
“Now, we have cascaded that contract down to the Departments and Agencies that will contribute to the overall achievement of what we signed with Mr. President as we know that it’s a top-down approach, which is also a bottom-up approach.”
The Minister expressed confidence and assurance that the overall target would be achieved as displayed by the response and enthusiasm of the working group.
