Akwa Ibom Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio has called on Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to enforce service quality delivery and regulate efficient pricing across the states.
Akpabio made the call Monday at the opening of the third seminar on the regulation in the electricity power sector for judges by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in collaboration with National Judiciary Institute (NJI) with the theme, “Enhancing Judiciary Capacity in Resolution of Current Legal Issues in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry” at Le’ Meridien Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo.
He further called on NERC to support the efforts of Akwa Ibom in making the state a model for steady power supply in Nigeria and the judiciary to use their potentials to help create an investor-friendly climate through informed dispute resolutions in Nigeria power sector.
“As members of the judiciary, your role as upholders of the constitution and interpreters of the law is crucial. The judiciary has great potentials to help create an investor- friendly climate through informed dispute resolutions in Nigeria’s power sector”, Akpabio noted.
The Governor who described the seminar is a turning point in the electricity and power sector, pointed out that the seminar shows their dedication and passion in changing the electricity directive in the country, believing that the seminar would lead to the road of electricity excellence in the country.
He said the two respected bodies have come together for judges to strengthen the confidence of investors in the power sector, and that the seminar would not only equip judges on judiciary services but will also enhance judicial capacity in the power sector, hoping that the problem of the electricity sector would be resolved in the seminar.
Akpabio, however, attributed the success of the state in the power sector reforms to such strategies as steady power supply enabling private investors to invest in the power sector of the state, power generation, transmission enhancement, distribution which involves the installation of transformers in all local government areas of the state, utility competent development, which the state has about 18 hours power supply from the national grid.
Chief Akpabio then congratulated President Jonathan and his Vice on the CBN-NERC driven power sector stabilization facility, saying “This facility is almost ready to assist Ibom Power and other power companies to solve their operations and maintenance and capacity expansion challenges. We in Akwa Ibom have the building blocks to demonstrate what Mr. President envisions for Nigerians in the power sector”.
Speaking, a Judge of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice John Okoro who represented the Chief Justice of the Federation, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed explained that the seminar was to discuss the effective legal frameworks necessary for conflict resolution in the state.
Mohammed remarked that in the course of the seminar, they have learnt the various strategies of the success of the power sector in the state, and called on Governor Akpabio to continue in the task of the uncommon transformation of the state.