Politically speaking, every appointed Minister inherits an existing workforce and is expected to collaborate with the structure on ground to drive his vision towards actualizing his set goals. During his recent visit to the National Control Centre, Osogbo, the Minister of Power projected that the government will be able to achieve 20,000 Megawatts by 2026, which is positive because the energy gap in Nigeria calls for urgent and desperate measures to make electricity available and accessible for economic growth and better life for the people.

While reacting to the sad fire incident at the 330/132/33kV Birnin Kebbi substation, the Minister warned that any employee found sabotaging the efforts of government in the power sector would be made to face the music. According to him, a panel has been set up to investigate what caused the recent inferno at the power substation of the TCN in Birnin Kebbi.

It is necessary to investigate the cause of the fire incident in order to forestall future occurrence but it appears hasty and judgmental for the honorable Minister to suspect sabotage by workers. The Minister should retrace following this path as it could set him up against his human resource because he is fortunate to have one of the most dedicated and loyal staff in the sector. He must be open to exploring every possible cause of the inferno with a view to arresting same instead of appearing to have a mindset before the investigative panel even start sitting.    

Given the complex nature of the power sector, we implore the Minister to learn from one of his predecessors, Professor Barth Nnaji, who left office ingloriously because he turned himself into an enemy of the workforce.

Going down memory lane, in its publication of June 28, 2011, Newsdiaryonline reported that the then General Secretary of NUEE National Union of Electricity Employees Comrade Reuben Orlu described the Professor in uncharitable words thus “As Adviser to the President on Power, he had irreconcilable difference with the workers and earned the unenviable mark of recording the highest number of industrial crisis in the Power Sector which never obtained before his appointment. Government should realize the need not to appoint Professor Barth Nnaji to this critical sector if the confidence, commitment and support of the workers are veritable ingredients for sustainable development and growth of electricity in Nigeria”.

From the above quote concerning his predecessor, the Minister should avoid the trap of sycophants who are close to him and may want to pitch him against the workers for their selfish gains. If he carries out a dispassionate assessment, he will discover a good team to work with so as to move the sector forward.

What is required in the power sector today is for all hands to be on deck in confronting the avalanche of challenges confronting the sector and make power available for Nigerians.