Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Namadi Sambo, has emphasised the key role of adequate power supply in the pursuit of Nigeria’s economic growth.
At the handover of Shiroro Hydroelectric Station in Shiroro in Niger State, the vice president explained that the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was in line with the government’s commitment to ensuring that Nigerians enjoy steady power supply.
The Nigerian government is pursuing its vision to become one of the top 20 economies in the world by 2020.
Members of the National Council on Privatisation were also at the Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station for the handover of the station to the successor company.
The Chief Executive Officer of the plant, Daudu Abudu Aziz was optimistic that the privatisation of the plant would take it to a greater height.
Contrary to rumours that workers of the PHCN had threatened to down tools on the handover day, both the chairman, National Union of Electricity Employees Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station Chapter (NUEE), Mohammed Nagwa and the chairman of the Senior Staff Association, Electrical and Allied Companies Hydroelectric Power Station (SSEAC), Mohammed Bankwat, said that the unions allowed the handover ceremony to take place due to the agreement with the Federal Government that all entitlements of the staff would be paid before the end of the month.
They, however, threatened to down tools if the government fails to fulfil its promise.
As the Federal Government hands over the power stations across the country to the successor companies, not a few Nigerians will be hoping that power supply across the country will improve.