Tinubu Orders Release of 300 Containers of Power Equipment Abandoned at Ports for 20 Years
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate clearance of more than 300 containers of electricity equipment that have been stranded at Nigerian ports for up to 20 years, raising questions about how critical power infrastructure was left unused for so long.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, disclosed this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
According to reports by The PUNCH, The Sun Nigeria and Arise News, some of the containers have remained at the ports for between 14 and 20 years because of unpaid charges and unresolved customs clearance issues. <Cite refs={[“turn294756search1″,”turn294756search0″,”turn294756search2”]}/>
Tegbe described the situation as unacceptable, explaining that the President had directed the Ministry of Power to work with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to resolve the outstanding issues and release the equipment.
Government to Check If Equipment Is Still Usable
The minister said technical experts would inspect the equipment after clearance to determine whether it could still be used for electricity projects across the country.
He explained that equipment found to be in good condition would be deployed to relevant power infrastructure projects, while obsolete or damaged materials would be handled appropriately.
However, the government has yet to disclose the total value of the stranded equipment, the amount required to settle outstanding charges or a deadline for completing the clearance process. <Cite refs={[“turn294756search0″,”turn294756search6”]}/>
Tinubu Government Targets Better Electricity Supply
The directive comes as the Federal Government steps up efforts to improve Nigeria’s electricity transmission network.
Tegbe also announced plans for proposed East and West Super Grids, which aim to increase the country’s electricity transmission capacity from about 5,000 megawatts to 19,000 megawatts within two years.
The government says the projects, alongside the recovery of stranded equipment and upgrades to existing transmission infrastructure, are expected to strengthen the national grid and improve its ability to deliver electricity.
But one question remains: How much electricity infrastructure could Nigeria have put to use if these equipment had been cleared years ago?
Sources: The PUNCH, The Sun Nigeria and Arise News.
