A stable power supply can be achieved in Nigeria if consumers learn to conserve energy, a top government official said on Monday.

In a power sector stakeholders meeting in Maiduguri, the Minister of power, works and housing Babatunde Fashola claimed that increased power supply experienced lately was in line with the Federal Government’s road map of first achieving “incremental power”.

The stakeholders meeting is a Monthly parley convened by the Power Minister for key actors including power generators, transmitters, and distributors.

It was held in Maiduguri, Borno State.

It was the 8th since the current government came on board, with participants drawn from different parts of the country identifying and brainstorming on critical facing the electricity industry.

Mr Fashola appealed to state governors across the nation to facilitate properly conducted energy audit for the power ministry to use as a basis for planning power consumption.

He said: “We plan to do one in the next census, but our work will be greatly relieved if the states give us that information in a very reliable manner.

“More importantly is to ask you to educate people on the need to conserve electricity.

“Driving through Damboa road we saw not a few shops with their electricity bulbs still switched on at 11:00am; that is energy being wasted where it is not needed and can be put to good use”.

A resolution read by the Managing Director of the host company, the Yola Distribution Company, Umara Mustapha, showed that participants unanimously agreed that power supply could only improve if consumers were sensitised to cooperate with operators.

State government officials at the meeting are already keying into the call by the operators of the power sector, assuring them of their commitment to educating citizens on appropriate usage of energy.

The minister also inspected a 330 and 132KV line substation being put together near Damboa which is expected to boost power generation and supply in the host state and environs upon completion. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows Fashola.

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