8/8/2019 Honourable Minister's Address at the 1st Seminar for Judges

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ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF POWER (STATE) ARCH. NUHU

SOMO WYA ON THE OCCASION OF THE 1ST

SEMINAR FOR JUDGES ON

REGULATION IN THE ELECTRIC POWER SECTOR.

The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;The Chief Justice of Nigeria and other Justices present;

Fellow Ministers;

Administrator NJI;

Administrator NERC;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen.

It gives me great pleasure and honour to welcome you to this very crucial

inaugural Seminar for Judges on Regulation in the Electric Power Sector. Thecollaboration of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the

National Judicial Institute (NJI) in organizing this seminar is warmly received at

this time when the input of all stakeholders is required to see that Nigeria has an

Electricity Supply Industry that can meet the needs of its citizens.

As you are all aware, NERC was established by virtue of the Electric Power Sector

Reform (ESPR) Act, 2005 to among other things, provide for the licencing and

regulation of the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity;

enforce such matters as performance standards, consumer rights and obligationsand to provide for the determination of tariffs and other related matters. This

became imperative under the Federal Governments reform programme to

achieve the objectives of the National Electric Power Policy of establishing an

effective regulatory framework, based on an independent regulatory agency in

order to bring about significant improvement in the sector through a more

strategic approach as hitherto existed.

The passing into law of the Act and the establishment of the Commission came at

a time when the Nigerian Electric Power Sector had been plagued by shortages inelectricity production, vandalization, theft of grid equipment and the illegal

tampering with electricity supply equipment resulting in power outages and lack

of supply. The increase in population and growth in per capita energy demand on

the one hand and the fact that available capacity falls short of demand on the

other hand has invariably led to the decrease in access to electricity by Nigerians.

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The challenge of increasing access to electricity is one which the Federal

Government is committed to and one which requires the effort of all stakeholders

in order to succeed.

I am therefore delighted that NERC, as the sector regulator has, in collaborationwith the NJI organised this very important seminar to emphasize the role of the

judiciary in the power sector reform and the effective enforcement of regulations,

standards, codes and orders as made by NERC to ensure that the objective of

access to electricity by all Nigerians is achieved.

The Nigerian Judiciary has demonstrated uncommon courage, integrity,

fearlessness and patriotism in the discharge of its responsibilities to the

admiration of all Nigerians and will, no doubt, through its pronouncements give

the much needed impetus for effective implementation of the ESPR Act andreform in the Power Sector.

I therefore congratulate NERC on this wonderful initiative and pledge the

commitment of the Ministry of Power and the Federal Government of Nigeria to

ensuring that no effort is spared in seeing to fruition, the reforms in this critical

sector which will fast track the nations ability to develop as a modern economy

and an industrial nation.

Distinguished guests, I now invite you to listen and participate in this importantexchange of ideas which will no doubt, lay the foundation for the effective

involvement of the judiciary in ensuring the effective enforcement of the EPSR

Act, 2005.

I wish you fruitful deliberations.

Thank you.