Obi to FG: Set up task force to address recurring national grid collapse

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has urged the federal government to constitute a technical task force of professionals to address the reoccurring national grid collapse.

Obi spoke in a statement signed by Yunusa Tanko, his spokesperson, on Wednesday in Onitsha, Anambra.

The former Anambra governor spoke amid the incessant reports of national grid collapse.

On April 15, the national electricity grid experienced another system collapse, leading to a nationwide blackout – the third time in 2024.

Reacting to this, Obi suggested the federal government immediately constitute a technical task force of real professionals without political consideration to present a diagnosis of the crisis of the sector.

“They will get to work to correct such simple slippage like incessant fire outbreaks that lead to perennial system collapse, drastically improve coordination and coherence between Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and distribution companies (DisCos),” Obi said.

“There will be no load rejection, and breath down on all operators to deliver on their technical responsibilities.

“This will rapidly improve power availability in the short term while the government develop clarity to articulate an integrated national electricity policy and a practical implementation roadmap that harmonises national and sub-national electricity reform.”

Meanwhile, TCN said it had fully restored the national grid.

The collapse was blamed on a fire incident at the Afam power generating station.