The National Assembly is fully ready to support and drive every actionable initiative that is expected to boost the nation’s power sector significantly. Senate President Bukola Saraki gave this assurance in his speech at the opening of a two-day stakeholders interactive dialogue/workshop on the Nigerian power sector organised by the National Assembly in Abuja, adding that the legislature will continue to craft the right legislative instruments that will help deliver a new and more reliable power sector for the economy. Saraki enunciated that even though opportunities for both the Legislature and Executive to come together to forge a solution to the nation’s perennial power problem have been wasted in the past, it is time to find solutions and not continuing complaining.

“I am very delighted that we are gathered together today to seek a solution to, perhaps, the most significant challenge to our quest for economic development; the issue of providing adequate power for our economy,” Saraki said.

He added: “The Nigerian power sector in spite of the enormous resources committed to it within the last 14 years has remained in a perilous state, delivering very disappointing results.

“Today, we are on the verge of a total systemic breakdown and I see this as an opportunity to stop this train from derailing completely. Opportunities for both the Legislature and Executive to come together to forge a solution to this perennial problem have been wasted in the past. We cannot afford to waste the opportunity we have now.

“We owe it to the people who have entrusted us with the privilege of working out solutions to their problems by electing us to our various offices that we are hard on our heels to bring them solutions not complaints. Wherever you go in the country nothing represents the failure of government and leadership in the mind of Nigerian like the epileptic power situation in the country. Fixing it is at the highest priority list of our people.

“In other words, our people are demanding that we do all that is in our power to reverse this long and unenviable power sector blight. We must get it right. The first step is this forum.

“He, however, assured that the current National Assembly will be relying heavily on Nigerians wisdom and input, to craft the right legislative initiatives that will help to deliver a new and more reliable Nigerian power sector for the Nigerian economy. While saying that there is need for sacrifice on the part of all Nigerians to get out of the power challenge, he said the government on its part must be sincerely committed to providing the right environment and fulfill its part of the deal without equivocation. Unless all players speak frankly, open-mindedly and honestly we will not get the right solutions.”

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