From the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Dr. Godknows Igali, came an assurance on Tuesday that power generation in Nigeria would rise to 6,000 megawatts in 2015.
Igali however added quickly that this can only be made possible if vandalism is curbed in the system.
The Permanent Secretary gave this assurance at a budget defence of the Ministry before the Senate Committee on Power.
Igali pointed out that the major problem being encountered in the power sector is the menace of vandals, who usually blow up gas pipelines for their selfish gains.
According to Igali: “Once we go above 4,000 mega watts, people bring us down to 2,000.
“There is no country where its own citizens will go to blow up gas pipelines supplying to the power plants.
“If these vandals can allow this gas to flow, we will get to over 6,000 megawatts.”
Igali revealed that most of the power plants in the country have been linked to the gas pipelines and were consciously increasing power generation.
Igali further assured the senators that going into 2015, Nigerians will have more electricity as all the new owners of plants are pumping in more money and generating more power.
He explained that there are concerted efforts by the new owners to deal with the teething problems and Nigerians will have more electricity.
According to him: “We now have massive training of young people.
“Over 1,000 people have been trained.
“The idea is to have a power sector of people who are very well trained not quacks.”
While speaking about the performance of the 2014 budget, Igali promised that his ministry would think of alternative sources of income in 2015, as there was a 92 per cent reduction in its budget.
He disclosed that out of the N59 billion approved for the Ministry in 2014, only 43 per cent of the amount was released to the ministry.
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Philip Aduda, had earlier expressed displeasure at the absence of the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, before the committee.
Aduda promised that as soon as the elections are over, the committee would embark on its oversight functions to ensure that all the plants were operating at optimal capacity in view of all the bailouts they received.
