Dasuki Arabi, the director-general of Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) says reforms in the power sector have helped to regulate and restructure the industry for quality service delivery to consumers.

Mr Arabi disclosed this when Aliyu Tahir, the managing director of Nigerian Electricity Management Agency (NEMSA) led a delegation of his management team on a working visit to BPSR on Monday in Abuja.

He said the bureau had carried out reforms in so many sectors to ensure conformity with the goals of the present administration for effective service delivery.

“It is noteworthy that the BPSR was a critical player and stakeholder in the reforms that opened up the power sector to proper regulation, restructuring, private sector participation and competition,” he explained. “It will be recalled that the reforms in the power sector became necessary due to inadequate electricity supply, incessant power outages and low generating capacity.”

He further explained that the reforms were meant to unbundle the defunct NEPA, privatise the unbundled entities, establish regulatory agencies, establish rural electrification agency and power consumer assistance fund.

According to Mr Arabi, power sector regulators such as NEMSA, NELMCO, NERC, NBET and TCN have played significant roles in sustaining the privatised power sector.

Mr Arabi atated that the Nigerian power sector was rated as the biggest investment destination and the largest consumer market in the continent .

Aliyu Tahir, NEMSA’s managing director, said the courtesy call was to strengthen collaboration with the BPSR.

“The importance of our visit to your esteemed organisation cannot be over-emphasised, knowing the important role you play in identifying common constraints faced by federal agencies in the course of their work and to provide evidence-based recommendations to address constraints and improve performance,” he explained.

He added, “We do not take it lightly as this partnership has led to your organisation’s deployment of the SAT at NEMSA. We earnestly look forward to your findings on how well our organisation is meeting its goals and objectives.”

Mr Tahir said the visit was also to assure BPSR that NEMSA would continue with the existing collaborations and partnership with a strong belief that this would assist the agency to achieve its mandate.

The managing director assured the BPSR of NEMSA’s continued partnership and collaboration to ensure efficient and stable electricity networks and power system that “delivers safe, reliable, efficient and improved power supply to the country.”

(NAN)