NIEEE lecture: Fashola, stakeholder clamour for solutions to electricity challenges
By Gloria Akudoro, Abuja
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN and The Executive Director Networks, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited(NDPHC), Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, on Monday have clamoured for pragmatic solutions to Nigeria’s electricity challenges.
Fashola, Oyedele made this call at the 15th edition of the Electrical Electronics Engineer Annual Lecture (DEEEAL) in Abuja.
Fashola, who also doubles as special guest of honour, called for synergy between the government and the private sector to bring about industrial base and research development that will make electricity beneficial for the Nigeria and its citizens.
Fashola who described the distinguished Lecturer, Engr. Oyedele, as a man who is predictable and dependable worthy of distinct honour, has also praised the 9th National Assembly for making the passage of the Power Sector Reform Act possible, noting that the law helped to set a part way for the nation.
He has therefore, urged Nigerians to think positive and act positively about issue of electricity.
On his part, Engr. Oyedele, during his lecture titled, “Electrification Of Nigeria Is A Sine Qua Non To Building A Great, Industrialised And Safe Nation,” he x-strayed the challenges facing Nigeria’s power sector.
According to him, “We can not continue to do things the way we have been doing it. We must look for a new ways to do things.
“We have seen a pattern right from 1896 when electricity got to Nigeria up till today. Loss patterns, lack of equipment and our inability to supply equipment on our own, the haphazardal planning, the distructional fragmented approach of Government agencies where we have about in the power sector have resulted in significant delays.”
Engr. Oyedele was conferred Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers (NiEEE).
He said that our inability to import during the coronavirus pandemic owing to mantenance delay cost the country a whole lot. He has, however, urged government to concentrate on building local capacity to enable us produce items
“We need to sit down and see what we are doing wrong, so we can do what is right”, Oyedele said.
Oyedele, said it is important to appoint experts with unquestionable integrity to lead the various agencies in the power sector.
He added that heads of these agencies must be empowered and ensure they are free of political or bereaucratic interference.
“It’s not about having positions or being called directors, you must do the work, and must be competent. We must not allow tribal or religious considerations to affect nomination of people,” he noted.
Earlier, the National Chairman and Chairman-in-Council, Engr. Kings Adeyemi, FNIEEE, explained that the outstanding Electrical Electronics Engineers award is the highest honour bestowed in the field of Electrical Engineering and resource management.
He added that the goal of this award was to honour excellent achievement in Electrical Engineering discipline in Nigeria Which the governing council of NIEEE found Engr. Oyedele worthy of delivering the 2021 DEEEAL lecture.
