‘PSRP viable to manage power sector liquidity issues’
Nigeria’s Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP) is robust enough to ensure viability of the power sector and manage the liquidity issues militating against the sector.
Alex Okoh, director-general, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), affirmed this at a meeting with the House of Representative Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation on Tuesday.
Okoh said however that optimising the potentials of the PSRP would be largely reliant on a simultaneous effort from all parties involved in the privatisation process as well as regulatory bodies.
Speaking further, during the meeting centred on proffering solutions to the challenges affecting the performance of the Electricity Generation and Distribution Companies (DisCos and GenCos), Okoh said the Nigerian power privatisation transaction was the biggest of its kind in the entire continent and that post-transaction challenges were inevitable.
Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that the challenges were not insurmountable, saying that a holistic approach alone would set the pace for an enduring solution to resolve the challenges.
Categorising the challenges under three bands as; transaction frame work, operational issues and policy and regulatory concerns, the director-general explained that solutions proffered without a thorough diagnosis of the issues would fall through in the course of time.
He reaffirmed the Bureau’s dedication to the success of the sector towards ensuring improved electricity supply to the nation.
Shadimu Alao Mutiu, deputy chairman of the Committee, gave an assurance of the Committee’s support towards the success of the sector, adding that only a joint effort could bring about the much needed progress sought by all parties involved.
Present at the meeting were representatives of GenCos, DisCos as well as Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading plc.