From the DG’s Desk….A VISION DRIVEN BY EFFICIENCY MR. PRESIDENT’S MARCHING ORDER When the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) came out in January 2022 to announce his intentions to step, not on, but into the (big) shoes of former President Muhammad Buhari as his successor, he knew what he was going into. He understood the enormous task ahead of him. The task as herculean as it may seem or it is was something he had been preparing for since the past 3 decades. It is therefore not surprising when he said Nigerians should not pity him, because he asked for the job. In keeping with his oath of office and his promise of Renewed Hope to over 200 million Nigerians many of whom had lost faith and trust in their leaders, he sounded it again to the ears of his appointees – the Ministers in the recently concluded Ministerial Retreat that there would be no room for failures. He did not stop at that. He gave the said appointees ample opportunity to tender their resignation perhaps anyone felt delivery on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) may be somewhat impossible. X-raying (sic) Mr. President’s remarks at the Ministerial Retreat is therefore a wake-up call to not only the Ministers who were present at the retreat but by extension, also to his all other appointees across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). President Tinubu in order to underscore the importance of his vision for a new Nigeria made the Ministers sign a performance bond with measurable milestones that are equally time-bound. This, to a large extent implies every appointee who desires on-the-job accolades must not only be seen acting the Renewed Hope mandate in their various areas of responsibilities, they must truly activate steps and mechanisms that will contribute to the overall goal congruence of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) – which is to retool Nigeria in all facets for the good of all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, ethnic bias, religion and/or tongue. This is in line with the promise of Mr. President during the campaigns. A VISION DEFINED In line with Mr. President’s mindset, the recently appointed Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Dr. Mustapha Abdullåhi did not mince words when he stated, in line with the vision and mission of the Commission that; “Under my stewardship and with the support of our dedicated staff and stakeholders, the ECN as the Lead Agency in the country’s push for energy transition will set the tone for economic development based on progressive innovation and policy initiatives as envisioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.” From the submission above, it is crystal clear that the new honcho in charge of the Commission is in the office with a clear agenda as to give new direction on the energy economy. He is poised to drive the country’s energy economy from a vista of excellence, industry, results and dedication to national growth and development. He has rolled out a 5-point agenda from the day he assumed office as the numero uno of the Commission. These are what his blueprint will revolve around and include; ~ Integration of the Renewable and Alternative Energy Policy Structure into the Mainstream National Energy Architecture. ~ Immediate facilitation of the actualisation of the Energy Transition Plan ~ Facilitation of Research and Development Funding and Partnership Initiatives in the Energy Sector. ~ Review of extant Energy Policies, Initiatives and Frameworks to stimulate economic development. ~ Facilitation of improved welfare consideration for staff of the Commission commensurate with standards in the Energy Sector. A JOB CUT OUT There is no denial of the fact that the Director-General has his job already cut out for him. For a Commission under The Presidency that has lasted over 3 decades in existence and its near-obscurity in the country’s energy sector, there is no better time than now to make a statement of a complete paradigm shift in the way things are conducted. The Commission has the mandate to be the lead agency in driving the country’s energy economy in the renewable and alternative energy wherewithal. This, ostensibly has been lacking. This without doubt has to and will be corrected under his ascendancy. He is aware of the enormous task ahead. PROVIDING LEADERSHIP FOR WEST AFRICA SUB-REGION, BEYOND With Nigeria as West Africa’s powerhouse in terms of population and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) representing above 55% of the total West Africa GDP, coupled with the country leading the _Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the moment, the Director-General’s leadership in driving the energy economy beyond the home soil and in sub-Sahara West Africa is very pivotal and crucial. The power (energy) sector has been described by many analysts as the key constraint to economic development. It is the major bottleneck for the country’s growth and the greatest contributing factor to her slow pace development. Exploring renewable and alternative energy in the days ahead is the primary focus of the new ECN under the Director-General. It is therefore the resolve of the Director-General to activate mechanisms geared towards instauration of novel action plans that will not only change the ugly story of the energy economy of the country, but also that of West Africa sub-region and Africa as a whole. Leveraging on Nigeria’s position as the ECOWAS leader at the moment, the Director-General will leave no stone unturned in exploring opportunities through the West African Power Pool (WAPP), an institution within the ECOWAS to chart a new cause for the energy economy. STAKEHOLDERS AS CRITICAL PARTNERS The Director-General will be running an open-door policy of inclusivity. He believes the stakeholders are critical and are integral part of the new energy drive. Their experience remains sine qua non in the total quality deliverables as envisioned by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. The same way The Presidency has created a Result Delivery Unit (RDU) is the same way the Director-General has put in place mechanisms to measure job delivery. And it is for this reason that the involvement of stakeholders in the new drive becomes germane – delivery is key! And every effort that is centripetal to such landmark delivery is paramount to the Director-General. For him, it is all about efficiency. STAFF WELFARE, KEY TO OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE Efficiency often times is a corollary of staff motivation at work place. A value-driven leadership spurs its workforce to efficiency and optimal performance through incentives and conducive working environment. The Director-General as a leader with ample experience that cuts across the globe is not oblivious of workers’ psyche at work when motivated. He understands that remuneration is a major factor in the determination of a worker’s productivity. He is also aware of the current status of workers of the Commission compared to other similar sister agencies within the same sector. He is aware of the near-zero motivation and he is prepared to address the situation frontally by making the necessary moves that will ultimately enliven the workers’ spirit and gear them towards the overall success of his leadership. This is a commitment he avowed to pursue from his first day of resumption. That, he will pursue vigorously and with all the gusto and zest required. THE COMMITMENT In all, the Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) is coming with a bouquet of Total Quality Leadership (TQL) that will further crystalise the Renewed Hope promise of Mr. President to the Nigerian populace. His is a vision that will be driven by efficiency which culminates eventually in achieving set-goals. An egalitarian Nigeria is a covenant President Tinubu made with Nigerians irrespective of their backgrounds. A working Nigeria through the energy economy is what the Director-General is in the office to promote. And he will stop at nothing until and unless that objective is achieved. At the ECN, it is a new dawn! Office of the Director-GeneralEnergy Commission of Nigeria (ECN)
