The Governor of Anambra, Chief Willie Obiano, has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Dr Nnaemeka Ewelukwa as the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc.

A letter issued on behalf of the governor, signed by Mr C-Don Adinuba, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment on Wednesday in Awka, described Ewelukwa’s appointment as a round peg in a round hole.

“You couldn’t have appointed a more qualified, competent and reform-minded technocrat for the job”, Obiano said in the letter.

Two weeks ago, the Minister of Power, Mr Saleh Mamman, announced that Buhari had approved Ewelukwa as the replacement for Dr Marylyn Amobi.

Amobi, who also hails from Anambra is to complete her five-year tenure on July 24.

“It is self-evident that the president recognises the critical role of NBET in the electricity value-chain in Nigeria and so went for the best to help move the power sector forward,” Obiano said.

Ewelukwa was until his elevation, the NBET General- Counsel.

The incoming NBET boss has been involved in Nigeria’s power sector reforms for more than 10 years, having worked at the Presidential Task Force on Power, headed by Prof. Bart Nnaji before he was appointed the Minister of Power in July, 2011.

The letter further stated that as the pioneer NBET General Counsel and secretary, Ewelukwa led the team which negotiated with independent power producers on power purchase agreements.

He also helped to facilitate huge investments from the private sector into Nigeria’s electricity generation business.

Obiano observed that the new NBET chief played a key role on the team which identified serious legal, regulatory and policy constraints to the development of Nigeria’s electricity.

“Due to the exceedingly impressive work done by such outstanding technocrats as Prof. Nnaji and Dr Ewelukwa, the British and American governments, among others, assisted Nigeria to develop the critical power infrastructure.”

Obiano recalled how such global firms as General Electric of the U.S., Siemens of Germany and Daewoo Heavy Industries of South Korea took an unprecedented interest in Nigeria’s power sector, due to the sterling contributions of the team.

Obiano described Ewelukwa as “infectiously humble and principled, a team player and far-sighted leader with a good international exposure — key leadership requirements in today’s globalized world”.

The governor expressed his optimism that Ewelukwa would bring glory to Nigeria the way a number of Anambra indigenes given critical national assignments discharged their duties.

Ewelukwa has so far authored three books on electricity transactions and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NAN