SAD: Endless agony, as power network collapses

Nigeria’s Power situation has in the last couple of weeks attained a worrisome dimension, raising questions on the country’s recent emergence as the 26th biggest economy in the world. Electricity consumers lament that they are rather paying more for darkness than light.
In the last one month, power supply across the country, especially in Lagos and Abuja, has deteriorated to the worst level since Nigeria’s independence, despite promises made by the Federal Government over the years to ensure stable electricity supply.

Distribution companies are daily designing ingenious means to make consumers pay for electricity not supplied.

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Former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji and chief executives of distribution companies (Discos) however blamed the energy problem on the country’s power generating facilities which they said were obsolete and unreliable, dating back to 1896.

Survey

A survey by Vanguard revealed that on the average, Nigerians only have about two hours of electricity supply in a week, while some areas have gone without power for about three weeks. Residents who spoke to Vanguard in Apapa, Surulere, Ilasamaja, Isolo, Isheri, Lekki, Ikotun, Satellite Town, Iyana-Ipaja, Festac Town, Ketu, Ikorodu, Gwarimpa in Abuja, Nyanya and other areas in states across the federation, bemoaned their plight and condemned the epileptic power situation.

Some of the residents called for the cancellation of the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, saying that the new owners have not displayed adequate capacity and capability to tackle the country’s power situation. Efforts to get the authorities to comment on the sufferings of Nigerians as regards power supply proved abortive. as they were yet to respond to questions sent to them on the issue at press time. Officials of some of the Discos also failed to respond to e-mails, while some of them claimed that the amount of power given them has been reduced drastically.

 Culled - Vanguard

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