Governor Peter Mbah has signed the Enugu State Electricity Bill into law, describing it as a major step towards economic growth.
According to him, this will enable the government to participate in the electrical industry value chain and make the state the top location for business, tourism, investment, and lifestyle.
Speaking at the occasion, which was held on Friday at the Government House in Enugu, Mbah claimed that without a sufficient and reliable power supply, his administration’s goal of growing the economy of Enugu State from $4.4 billion to $30 billion would be a pipe dream. He pointed out that the quest was what necessitated the Electricity Bill which was sent to the House of Assembly about two weeks ago.
“Following the Constitutional Amendment and the Electricity Act of 2023, electricity is now on the concurrent list.
“So, Enugu State has spared no time in making sure that we create our own electricity market. That is the crux of this law.
“We are now able to play in the generation, transmission, and distribution segments of the electricity market,” he said.
Ubah stated that the regulatory commission will be able to control the operations of these actors, including the generating, transmission, and distribution firms that will result from it.
He argued that if energy or power is not available, discussions concerning the industry or private sector investment cannot proceed.
The governor equally commended the leadership of the House of Assembly for the expeditious passage of the Bill and for their partnership with the government across party lines for the good of Enugu State.
The signing was witnessed by the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, represented by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ezenta Ezeani; the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kingsley Udeh; the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, among other state functionaries.
Credit: Channels Television
