Jedy-Agba : The Journey So Far As Minister

Minister of State, Power, Prince Goddy Jedy-Agba, OFR

Prior to President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term, the Ministry of Power  alongside Ministry of Works and Housing were supervised by a supervising minister . Immediately he won a second term, he undertook a process of unbundling  these ministries with the Ministry of Power assuming a pivotal role in order to ensure a seamless process of driving the economy in line with the administration’s diversification agenda.

Deploying two Ministers into the ministry of Power was geared towards decisively exploiting and exploring huge potentials in the ministry for Nigeria’s sustainable power initiative. It houses  Minister of Power and Minister of State for Power with  shared  key responsibilities  based on a schedule by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation  as contained in the policy objectives of the administration. This process  has seen the ministry continue to strive toward enhancing effective service delivery in the country.

In this regard, responsibilities domiciled in the office of  the Minister of State, Power, Prince Goddy Jeddy-Agba, are key responsibilities across the country and initiatives executed under his direct supervision like; rural electrification programmes in Nigeria, capacity building in the ministry, training power stakeholders and ensuring  operational effectiveness of  National Electricity Management Services Agency.

Thus, the Minister of State for Power  has a responsibility of overseeing Rural Electrification Programmes in Nigeria and  overseeing capacity building in the entire corporation. The  National Power Training Institute of Nigeria NAPTIN, is under his responsibilities and  National Electricity Management Services Agency NEMSA.

Prince  Goddy Jeddy-Agba who is about a year in office has indeed achieved  a lot howbeit, untold. For instance, performance index is in line with a  mandate  of the power ministry whose  deliberate effort is to ensure alternative power supply in Federal Universities and Teaching Hospitals in the country. Under his supervision, the ministry has embarked on alternative electrification drive in Bayero University Kano, Federal University Ebonyi and the Obafemi Awolowo University Ife.

A source in the Ministry said that "The ministry has started alternative electricity supply  in the universities especially where we have the teaching hospitals. That has been achieved in Bayero University, Federal University Ebonyi State and Obefemi Awolowo University, Ife is almost completed”

Captured in the ministry’s rural electrification initiative under Prince Agba’s supervision, villages which before the ministry intervention are inaccessible in Niger state now have constant power supply. Unfazed by the negative impact of the raging Covid-19 pandemic on smooth implementation of rural electrification programmes in areas of needs as mapped out by the ministry for execution. He has continuously evolved measures which assured all communities captured in the programme would be electrified irrespective of a lull in activities experienced globally.

"For the rural communities we have already marked out, they will be electrified. Unfortunately for the Covid-19 which slowed down what we had on board. We had started with Niger State where we have gone deep into villages and they are right now enjoying rural electrification in some villages which is even difficult for vehicles to go into. This project was planned in various states but for Covid-19 which hampered completion because those  who are assisting in sponsoring this programme are international institutions like; the African Development Bank, European Union, and  Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA). In fact in Cross River South and North (Bebi Airstrip) JICA has also drop equipments for the Rural Electrification Project”

With a zeal to genuinely expedite action on his responsibilities, Prince Agba at different turns   toured  the  Odukpani and Yobe  with revelations and technical advice that underscores his commitment to ensure projects domiciled in all parts of the country optimally perform in line  with the ministry’s objective. For instance, Odukpani Power Plant  which is  being controlled  by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, they generate power which the company feeds into the national grid with a dedicated 5% of power generated from that plant for Calabar and its  environ.

However, the Minister with a firm understanding of the ministry decried the inability of Cross River Government to  taking that power plant up  but rather  constructed  their own power plant which relies on diesel as against  the global setup  in modern times  trying to move away from fossil fuel.

“This power is very key, stable and it would be cheaper if Cross River Government takes that power and they will have continuous electricity. It is rather surprising that they are rather constructing a different plant and what they are constructing will use diesel which is a source of pollution.

“The German Government is  moving away completely from this fossil fuel by 2030, so they are happily selling this plant out to whoever is interested because they are source of pollution. If you go to Odukpani you won't know anything is happening there because they are not flaring anything. What Cross River Government is going into now is what the world power is saying pull out from”, a source in the ministry said.

With a primary responsibility to ensure rural electrification in the country, the Minister has so far taken concrete steps at providing electricity for other local governments in cross River outside the main city of Calabar and  its adjoining  locations.

A source familiar with the development said that,  "there is a tremendous effort in Central and  Northern Cross River, there is a dedication of line from JICA  site which will run from Obudu up to the Ranch. It will cover the Obudu environment and Niger Delta Distribution Company is trying to bring in power that will cover Ikom and  Ogoja.

The Niger Delta Company is going to pull to Kano and by doing this, the line is going to pass through Ogoja and they will  be dedicated power in that line that will cover Ikom and all those axis coming up very soon.

With key attention from the ministry, the Kashimbila Plant  a  Hydro Power Plant in Takum, Taraba with over  97% completion  and power  plant in Yandev just by the cement company that will cover Gboko, Obudu and Ogoja.

Findings shows if not for the Covid-19, plans are already on ground to commence these laudable projects that would shore up electricity in Northern Cross River.

Despite central challenge in all ministries orchestrated by Covid-19, the Minister is however  glued  on the upgrade of power sub station  in Ogoja. He is fully aware that one may have a substation but when there is working main station, the substation will need to be upgraded  so he has assured improvement in the next six months.

It is worthy of note that when power is transmitted, the substation step it down and push to other places. That power station was stepping down power from Abakaliki  and before it reaches Obudu, it is like candle light. With what is on ground as revealed by investigation, in the next 6 months, there will be improvement, especially when the Niger Delta Company have indicated that they are going to step up the upgrade.

The minister whose performance index has been gravely downplayed by political opponents weary of his huge mileage has continued to receive commendation from all parts of the country particularly, following a truce that has finally laid to rest, the long standing leadership tussle that weakened APC in Cross River. He has set the party to work assiduously towards providing a virile alternative in the state.