A coalition of Civil Society Organizations has called on the Nigerian Senate to end what it described as unnecessary delay in confirming the appointment of Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.
Speaking at a press conference held at Imo House, Abuja, the Convener of the Coalition and President of the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, said the continued delay in the confirmation of Engr. Ramat is unjustifiable and amounts to sabotage of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda in the power sector.
Comrade Danesi expressed concern that despite the submission of the Senate Committee on Power, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, which cleared Engr. Ramat and two other nominees — Mr. Abubakar Yusuf and Mr. Fouad Olayinka Animashaun — for appointment into NERC, the Senate leadership has failed to act.
The group alleged that some members of the National Assembly were frustrating the process for personal and political reasons, warning that such actions could undermine the nation’s power reform efforts and erode public confidence in governance.
They described Engr. Ramat as a highly qualified professional with vast experience in electrical engineering, energy policy, and strategic management, holding several academic qualifications including a Ph.D., and professional affiliations with COREN and Harvard University.
The coalition urged the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and his Deputy, Senator Barau Jibrin, to immediately facilitate the confirmation of Engr. Ramat, saying further delay would attract nationwide protests by Nigerian youths.
According to the group, the nation’s power challenges are too critical to be subjected to political games, stressing that confirming Engr. Ramat would help drive President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for sustainable power sector reform and national development.
