Sale Mamman: Taking the right steps in Nigeria’s Power House

By Emmanuel Bello

Have you met the Honourable Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman? I have and nothing has made me more confident that President Muhammadu Buhari has got his Man Friday in the power sector at last like the encounter. Tall, regal and soft-spoken, you see the wheels practically turning in the minister’s head as he patiently listens to you. When he responds, you are suddenly aware of his keen mind and the deep seated drive to get things done at all cost.

Thus, one of the areas of strength for this minister is his ability to deftly make tough decisions and carry them out with tact. And no one ever sees him coming. Even in his native Taraba state, he is still something of an enigma because he wasn’t even among the first five names jostling to be minister in the build up to the proverbial presidential list. Then, boom, there he was, not just on the list but emerging arguably as the most powerful minister. Some people are yet to catch their breath.

On a personal level, I’ve experienced this “surprise” style of his. For a man who hasn’t met me in real life before appointing me an aide, I respect his ability to identify good hands, hire them and set up an effective team.

Up there is power house, this style has continued to flourish where it matters most. He’s making the decisions that need to be made and pushing through with reforms that would ultimately break the jinx. He is casting out the demons of darkness with evangelical zeal. He’s binding all the power of darkness and arresting all the forces that have kept the nation down for too long.

The results are already showing. One thing he has already succeeded in doing is giving the Ministry of Power a very clear direction. Before his advent, the place was practically scattered as agencies ran on their own. He has since centralised operations, restored discipline and bridged the bureaucratic gap. A methodical worker, he’s making progress on a daily basis as he continues to set up technical teams, get the right persons and managing crisis.

Above all, he is aware of the challenge: the need to finish all the outstanding project principally the Mambilla Hydro Power project; the need to confront merchants of darkness; the war against unpatriotic forces; the confrontation with sacked demons of darkness; and the need to just bring light. He tells me he’s aware of his place in history and the promise Nigerians are eagerly waiting for. And that’s all the motivation he requires.