The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, says some Nigerians have asked him to “slow down” the improvement in electricity supply because their freezers are now working continuously.
Tegbe made the comment on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking at the commissioning of a 3-megawatt solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja.
According to the minister, the comments came from electricity consumers who had noticed improved supply in some parts of the country.
“Places that didn’t have light at all for three months are now having 18 hours light. Some areas called me to say, look, I should slow down, that everything in their freezer is freezing,” Tegbe said.
“That is what freezer is meant to do. Let it freeze the food that needs to be frozen,” he added.
Tegbe said he had promised during his Senate screening that Nigerians would begin to see noticeable improvements in electricity supply within three to six months.
He, however, acknowledged the condition of some of the country’s power infrastructure, saying some facilities were more than 40 years old.
“Some of the infrastructure we have in the electricity and power sector are more than 40 years old. We’re systematically replacing them, phasing them out and bringing new ones,” he said.
The minister also raised concerns about vandalism of electricity infrastructure, saying three major transmission towers in Birnin Kebbi had been brought down.
According to him, the towers were part of the infrastructure supplying electricity to Kebbi State and extending to Niger Republic.
Tegbe said the government had set up a joint working committee involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to monitor and protect electricity assets.
“You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals,” he said.
He added that the government was working to ensure that vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure was treated as a serious criminal offence.
The minister’s comments came as the Federal Government commissioned the solar hybrid project at Yakubu Gowon University, which combines a 3.3-megawatt solar array with 3MW AC output capacity and battery storage.