President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to head the Power Sector Reform Coordination Working Group.
The composition of the group is to consolidate the efforts of the federal and state governments to fix the power sector.
A statement from the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai – who is the chairman of a committee set up by the National Economic Council on power sector reforms and distribution company ownership – said the new working group would incorporate the ongoing efforts of his (el-Rufai’s) committee and ensure all power sector initiatives were on the same page under Osinbajo’s leadership.
According to the statement, membership of the group comprises el-Rufai, representing the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and NEC, as well as the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, who leads the German Government/Siemens initiative to improve power supply.
Other members of the group are the Minister of Power, Mr Saleh Mamman; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed; Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele; and Special Adviser to the President on Infrastructure, Ahmad Zakari, who is the secretary of the group.
The statement recalled that in November 2019, the NEC had constituted an ad hoc committee to determine the nature and extent of state governments’ ownership of distribution companies and provide feedback on the challenges afflicting power sector reforms.
“This new presidential working group will coordinate the ad hoc committee and other efforts on a national scale and report progress fortnightly to Mr President,” the statement read.
It added that the group, which would meet weekly, commenced work at the Presidential Villa last Tuesday, at a meeting which the Vice President presided.
