EXTRA: Power failure is a thing of the past, says minister

Goddy Jedy Agba, minister of state for power, says power failure is a thing of the past in the country.

But Nigeria is still experiencing major power supply cuts.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Agba said by the end of the year, 85 percent of the citizens will have access to electricity.

The town hall meeting, organised by the federal ministry of information and culture, was meant to showcase the achievements of the Buhari administration on infrastructure development.

The minister said the federal government is working hard to ensure that all houses are metered in the country.

“Power failure is a thing of the past,” he said.

“By the end of the year, 85 percent of Nigerians will have electricity. Also, all the houses will be metered – you will only pay for what you consume.”

According to him, many of the power projects started by the federal government will be completed before the end of Buhari’s tenure.

On his part, Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, said his ministry is managing over 1,019 contracts involving 958 bridges and road projects across the country.

Fashola said roads are “critical infrastructure” necessary to develop the country.

“President Muhammadu Buhari clearly understands the necessity to invest in infrastructure, not just to support a growing population but as an economic driver,” the minister said.

“It is, therefore, not surprising that, through the federal ministry of works and housing, we are managing over 1,019 contracts involving 958 Bridges and Road Projects as we are also constructing houses in 34 states of the federation as well as new federal secretariats in Anambra, Nasarawa, Bayelsa , Zamfara, Osun and Ekiti states.”