Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo
The Federal Government has declared the willing-buyer- willing-seller policy as one of the surest steps to addressing Nigeria’s power challenges.
Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, noting that power remains very critical to national development, said if the generation companies do not have the resources to produce electricity; other companies can take up the responsibility to make power available to the citizenry.
Osinbajo, at a town hall meeting with the gubernatorial candidate of APC, Babajide Sanwo Olu, organised by Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), in Lagos, said: “We have what we call the eligible customer declaration, which is, if you are able to generate power, you can sell your power on a willing-buyer or willing-seller basis.
“We think that to solve Nigeria’s problem is not to rely on the grid, but to decentralise so that more power companies can produce power where they would sell at a tariff that will not be regulated. At the moment, one of the problems that Discos have is that the tariff is regulated, and it is not cost reflective. In other words, it is not enough to cover the cost of distributing the power.”
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He added: “So this willing-buyer, willing-seller is one that we think will solve the problems. We also intend to focus on renewable energy. We believe that the way to go is this willing-buyer, willing-seller for industries, homes etc. People are fed up with estimated billings, and that has created a problem everywhere, but we believe we will be able to make significant progress using alternative sources of power which is the willing buyer willing seller arrangement.”
He however assured LERSA of the present administration’s commitment to meeting their infrastructure and social needs, saying that the Buhari-led government is a listening one focused on taking Nigeria to the next level.
Earlier, the APC Gubernatorial candidate, Babajide Sanwo Olu, said if elected, his administration will be engaging stakeholders and citizens going forward, pointing out that Public Private Partnership (PPP), is the path to follow to address most of the infrastructure challenges hindering the Lekki area of Lagos.He said his administration would construct a regional road to help solve the traffic congestion in the Lekki axis.
“We are going to be a listening and inclusive government. This is the way to make Lagos great, we will be firm, we will listen to you because we feel your pain,” he said.
The President, LERSA, James Emadoye, said the aim of the town hall meeting was to hint the Lagos State Governorship candidate about some of the challenges currently being experienced by the residents in Lekki. He expressed the hope that when elected, he would tackle most of the infrastructure challenges hindering the development of Lekki and environs.
“This is our opportunity to tell him what is happening in our axis. The Lekki toll gate is a cause of concern to us. We want to see ourselves as partners to the government. We are also looking for a government that will feel our heartache. This is why we are establishing a relationship with you so that you will remember us when you get there,” he said.
