by Stanley Azuakola

Right from his first few months in office, one thing the body language of President Goodluck Jonathan made very clear was that he would want to be remembered for his efforts in the power sector. Recent reports also indicate that the president’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party is desperate to see progress in that sector as well. Little wonder the president is doing all he can to show that despite the resignation of the power minister, Barth Nnaji, the reform of the power sector is on course.

Read: Why Barth Nnaji had to go – President Jonathan

On Wednesday, Jonathan recomposed the Presidential Action Committee on Power (PACP) as well as the Presidential Task Force on Power.

The PACP has the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the government’s agenda for power sector reforms.

Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, in a press statement, said that President Jonathan retains the chairmanship of the recomposed PACP. The PACP was established in June 2010 to provide leadership and guidance for the rapid development of Nigeria’s power sector and to determine the general policy direction and strategic focus of reforms in the sector.

According to the statement, Vice President Namadi Sambo is the deputy chairman of the Committee. Other members of the committee include the secretary to the government of the Federation, the head of service, the chief of staff to the president, the minister of Justice and attorney-general of the Federation, the co-ordinating minister for the Economy and minister of Finance, the minister of Labour and Productivity, the minister of Power, the minister of State for Power, and the minister of Petroleum Resources.

Also in the committee are – the minister of National Planning, the chief economic adviser to the president, the special adviser to the president (Performance Monitoring & Evaluation), the director-general – Bureau of Public Enterprises, the director-general – Bureau of Public Procurement, the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power.

The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Power will serve as secretary of the PACP.

For the Presidential Task Force on Power, Reynold Dagogo-Jack of the National Integrated Power Project is to serve as chairman. That position was previously held by Prof. Barth Nnaji.

Other members include the permanent secretary, Ministry of Power, the chief executive officer – Transmission Company of Nigeria, the managing director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, the chief executive officers of Nigerian Gas Company, Geregu Generation Company, Ughelli Generation Company, Eko Distribution Company, Abuja Distribution Company, Nigeria Bulk Electricity Company, Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria, and Evaristus Mogbo.

The Presidential Task Force on Power has the duty of developing and driving the Federal Government’s action plan for the power sector as well as articulating a proper plan of action for implementation in the areas of power generation, transmission, and distribution.

The Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Fund will serve as consultants to the Task Force while an officer of directorate rank in the Federal Ministry of Power designated by the permanent secretary will serve as secretary to the recomposed task force.