October 19, 2014 – The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has said that about 200,000 technicians will be needed by the energy companies that emerged from the privatization exercise of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) carried out by the Federal Government.
Fashola who was speaking at an occasion to mark his 2, 700 days in office said that Energy Academy which he commissioned in Lagos would provide the manpower needed by energy firms to prevent a situation where the firms will now go out and source for qualified technicians.
He said that students of the school would be trained in power generation, transmission and distribution adding that the academy was set up in conjunction with Siemen, a German brand and that the graduates will be certified by Siemens which he said qualifies them to work anywhere in the world.
Fashola explained that the state government has set up set up six independent power transmission plants (IPP), the Ajuwon IPP, the Lagos Island IPP, Alausa IPP, Ikeja IPP and Lekki IPP. He said the Lekki IPP would be ready by 2015.
He added that the Ikeja IPP will supply power to hospital, Lagos State Police, the courts and other government institution in the area in addition to supplying street lights in Agege Motor road and other area. He explained that generators which currently supply power to those areas will be decommissioned when the IPP comes on.
He said that though Lagos State generates power, it is not allowed to sell to members of the public but the DISCOS and GENCOS who have that sole right.
He said the state government has disconnected itself from Ikeja DISCO due to emergence of Alausa IPP adding that the development now makes what it possible for the DISCO to make what it used to consume available to other members of the public.
Fashola said that the Lagos state government is working on installing solar power in about 32 schools in the rural areas to make light available to students of the school.
