UN, EU alarmed at Nnaji's exit

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Monday, 03 September 2012

By Elombah.com

THE international community, especially development partners, stormed the Ministry of Power at the weekend, to seek assurance that the progress made in the power sector during the tenure of the former minister were pursued diligently to an impressive end. The partners have sought assurance from the Federal Government that

the legacies of the former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, would be sustained.

Professor Barth Nnaji [pictured below] resigned as Minister of Power last week in the wake of a "damning memo" by PDP National Chairman to President Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo, calling for Nnaji's removal.

The European Union (EU) Head of Cooperation, Mr P. Phillipe, said when the EU headquarters got the news of the resignation, it was alarmed and expressed concern over the continuity of the reforms in the sector.

Country Representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Dr Patrick Kormawa, who led others to the ministry, said the organisation was working in concert with other agencies for rural electrification of the country, especially in renewable energy sector.

The partners also sought to know the stage of the privatisation process and whether Nigeria was still committed to the time lines. 

The World Bank representative, Erik Feinstiom, said he was at the last power summit in Asaba, Delta State, which was presided over by Nnaji.

The Minister of State for Power, Mr Darius Ishaku, in his reaction, said everybody in Nigeria was as alarmed as the international partners at the exit of the former minister. 

However, the Federal Government, on Sunday, reaffirmed that in spite of the resignation of Professor Nnaji, the progress already made in the sector would be consolidated.

It also assured Nigerians that President Goodl-uck Jonathan was committed to ensure investors’ confidence and credibility in the power sector were protected.

A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, in Abuja, noted that necessary structures and institutions to drive them had already been firmly established.

It said President Jona-than expected that before the end of December, with the progress being made in the area of gas supply to the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), the present improvement in the electricity supply for domestic and industrial use would not only be sustained, but would be also improved.

The statement pointed out that the president had set a target for the actualisation of uninterrupted power supply to drive economic development.

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