The Abia Government has expressed its determination to address structural challenges and service gaps in its power sector, according to the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr Ikechukwu Monday, at a press briefing yesterday, (Monday, December 16) in Umuahia on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting.
Monday said the State Government, in order to actualise its desire to transform the power sector, has designed the Abia State Electricity Bill which, according to him,”was meticulously prepared with the support of professionals.”
He said the bill, leveraging on the Electricity Act 2023, represented a transformative step toward building a competitive and efficient electricity market within the State.
The Commissioner disclosed that the key features of the bill include creation of Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority, Rural Electrification Agency and Abia State Electricity Fund.
He said: ”Three organisations would be formed from the bill and they are Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority, the Rural Electrification Agency and the Abia State Electricity Fund.
“The regulatory authority would regulate all the sectors in the market.
“We are creating the fund, because we know that electricity is not cheap and we know that there are vulnerable people that cannot afford it, and we know that we have dilapidated infrastructure.
“The fund will be used to make sure that better infrastructure is provided, people unable to access electricity will get it through government intervention, and support people that cannot afford to pay the stated tariff because it is going to be market-driven,” the Commissioner stated.
Monday said the government had evolved the bill to facilitate the creation of a market that would be driven by market forces, meaning that the tariff system would be very competitive.
“We want efficient players to come into our electricity market within the state.
“This will help in promoting industrialisation as we know our people are gifted and without electricity there is no way we can achieve the socioeconomic growth of the state,” he said.
According to Monday, great attention would be placed on renewable energy and local content, because the bill contains provisions for incorporation of renewable energy into the government’s power sector transformation agenda.
He added that dedicated sections of the bill address host community benefits, focused on ensuring that communities within Abia would actively benefit from the electricity market, further explaining that the bill covers all aspects of electricity provision – from metering to infrastructure development to ensuring a holistic framework for the state’s power sector.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Monday as disclosing that the State House of Assembly would be holding a public hearing on the bill tomorrow (Wednesday, December 18), describing the programme as an “important” opportunity for stakeholders, including residents, professionals, and community leaders, to contribute their insights.
According to him, active public participation during the hearing would ensure the bill reflects the needs and aspirations of all the residents.
He, therefore, urged the people of Abia and stakeholders to take part in the hearing because a participatory approach would strengthen the bill and lay a solid foundation for its successful implementation when it became law.
