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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has reiterated his confidence in Nigeria’s potential to achieve greatness, emphasizing that the nation is abundantly endowed with both human talent and natural resources necessary for meaningful progress.
Speaking on Monday at the commissioning of new substations of the Geometric Power Plant in Ogbor Hill, Aba, Abia State, Obasanjo reflected on his decision to grant a power generation licence to Prof. Barth Nnaji. He said the move was motivated by a firm belief in the competence and ingenuity of Nigerian professionals.
The former president commended the strides made by Geometric Power, calling it a compelling example of what Nigerians are capable of accomplishing when empowered and trusted with responsibility. He hailed the project as a symbol of local capacity and a model for future infrastructure development.
“When I was giving you the encouragement, two people came to me to ask why I was giving Nigerians such responsibility, that they would disappoint me. You have not disappointed me and you did not disappoint all those, including everyone that supported you to realise this project,” Obasanjo said.
He stressed that the success of Geometric Power was a lesson in self-belief and self-reliance.
“The lesson to learn again here, within ourselves, among ourselves, and by ourselves, is that we have what it takes to develop,” Obasanjo said.
The former President also called on Nnaji to extend the reach of Geometric Power’s distribution services to other parts of the state to enhance development and industrialization.
In his remarks, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, reiterated his administration’s commitment to addressing the challenges of power supply.
Read also: Nigerians Should Not Be Poor – Obasanjo Laments
He disclosed that the state government was finalising plans to assume control of electricity distribution from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company in order to ensure more reliable supply.
He noted that Geometric Power’s installed capacity of 141 megawatts is sufficient to serve all nine local government areas within Aba’s industrial ring-fence.
Otti highlighted the critical need to restore deteriorating infrastructure at substations before powering them up, stressing that the success of the initiative hinges on ensuring their readiness. He also appealed to the traditional leaders of Osisioma Local Government Area to play a role in safeguarding the newly established installations.
Nnaji, the Chairman and CEO of Geometric Power, further elaborated on the journey to building a reliable power infrastructure in Aba. He characterized the process as one marked by vision, determination, and strategic investment. Nnaji expressed his gratitude to former President Obasanjo for initiating the project and to Otti for his ongoing support.
“Our focus has always been about more than just electricity,” added the Group Managing Director of Geometric Power, Mrs. Agatha Nnaji. “It’s about igniting potential and powering a new era of growth and prosperity.”
Ugochukwu Opiegbe, the Managing Director of Aba Power Ltd., outlined the measures implemented to ensure the efficient and reliable delivery of power throughout the city.
