The Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola has remarked that the various power issues facing Nigeria cannot be solved by Magic.
Fashola made this statement at the inauguration of the 2x100MVA, 132/33kV power transformers at the Ejigbo Transmission Substation, Lagos on Thursday.
Praising the work of the transmission companies in Nigeria, he said: “We have come to hand over this expanded transmission substation, the Ejigbo Transmission Substation, to the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company. This substation was built in 1970; the capacity was 60MVA then; except for the addition of another 60MVA, this community has grown exponentially; so they have exceeded the installed capacity here,”
Fashola noted that President Buhari knew the needs of the substation and that it had been increased from 120MVA to 300MVA.
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“Between that time and when President Buhari came three years ago, some people were there. But they will come back to you; so, when they come back, ask them if they didn’t know where to buy transformers.
“The problem of electricity is slowly being solved, one by one. Anybody will tell you he will do magic; tell him, ‘How?’ He should explain to you. We inherited 800 containers for power equipment left in the port for 10 years. President Buhari gave us approval, and we have recovered 690.” Fashola said
Fashola added that there are about 90 transmission projects currently in progress around the nation and that some of the recovered of pieces equipment are being used to work on them.
“If you look at it, between 2015 and now, you ask yourself honestly: Are you spending more on diesel now or before? Are you running your generators for longer today or yesterday? So, are you seeing the power slowly staying longer? If you are truthful to yourself, you will know that it is better than yesterday. And we haven’t finished,”