By Muhyideen Jimoh

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on Saturday teed off the second edition of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) golf tournament at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament which brought together over 160 golfers is meant to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders in the Nigerian electricity sector.

Dogara, shortly after performing the ceremonial tee-off along other dignitaries told NAN that the tournament was a good platform for stakeholders to cross fertilise ideas on the way forward for the energy sector.

“This tournament is not just for entertainment but for stakeholders to come together, not just to play golf but for contemplation.

“Because a golf course is a place for contemplation, you meet and interact with people in the course of the sport, unlike football or basketball or any other game.

“This is a game that is engaging in terms of intellectual reflection, physical exercise and generally about togetherness,” he said.

The former speaker stressed the need for all stakeholders to synergise and find a lasting solution to the energy crises in the country.

“Certainly you know that power supply is an issue, we are talking about transiting from a consumer nation to a production nation.

“We all know that without adequate power supply we cannot achieve this, am also a farmer and I know what lack of electricity or the energy crises has caused me at the farm.

“We need to look outside the box for this problem and it’s part of the things we will be engaging with leaders and organisers of this event,” he said.

Earlier, Adetunji Adeyeye, the Coordinator of the tournament told NAN that the event will avail industry stakeholders the platform to engage in a relaxed atmosphere on the way forward for the sector.

Adeyeye who is a market specialist and power generator, stressed the need for more investment in the sector and ensuring efficient service delivery across the value chain.

“The golf tournament is a forum and a platform to bring all stakeholders within the Nigerian power sector to have conversations, strategise and engage informally to drive at the efficiency that we seek for in our power sector.

“You know, the power sector is very core and germain part of our national development.

“Majorly, this forum, the golf platform gives us a really immense and huge opportunity to engage with lots of our customers across the board and across different chains of the sector to get feedback.

“So it’s a platform for fusion of conversation both about our service delivery as well as how to improve generally,” he said.

NAN reports that the tournament will be rounded off with a gala dinner on Saturday and prizes presented to winners in the different categories. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joseph Edeh