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Electricity Supply’ll Improve Within Six Months -Minister
Minster of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, has assured Nigerians that the ongoing power upgrade and investment in power sector would improve electricity supply within the next three to six months.
Adelabu gave the assurance during a working visit to some ongoing projects in Maryland and Alausa substations yesterday in Lagos.
The Tide’s source reports that Adelabu visited Ikeja Electric and other ongoing projects in Lagos metropolis.
He disclosed that upgrading some substations in Lagos by Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had commenced on 30MVA transformers to 100 MVA and 205 MVA in Maryland and Alausa, respectively.
The minister maintained that the Federal Government’s position on the implementation of a cost reflective tariff for the power sector was inevitable.
He said that investment across Distribution Companies (DisCos) was low due to the unavailability of funds to carry out infrastructure upgrades, appealing to the companies to ensure good service delivery to justify tariff review.
He said the ministry would do all it could to ensure that DisCos up their games through massive investment, noting, “if that fails, it will resort to legal backing.”
Adelabu bemoaned the rising cases of vandalism of power assets across the country, recommending capital punishment for vandals.
He labelled vandals of power assets as “killers of people and saboteurs of business growth”.
“We need scapegoats. We are ready to give them the right punishment in terms of prosecution.
“Punishment for vandals should go beyond six months jail term. Capital punishment should be meted out for power vandals. They kill people, and they kill businesses,” he said.
Adelabu added that all hands must be on deck among operators within the power sector value chain.
He said it remained worrisome that the country with an installed capacity of 13,000MW was generating a paltry 5,000MW.
The minister said the government to further advance his strategy of overcoming the present impasse, Adelabu pledged to change his master plan from top-to-bottom approach to bottom-to-top.
“Going forward, efforts will now be concentrated on development and infrastructure upgrade from DisCos to GenCos and then transmission.
“If we get it right at the DisCo level, then we are most certain that we are almost getting there. The meeting is planned, not accidental. You have made landmark achievements in the last 10 years.
“You have done well in relation to other DisCos. We can just shake your hands and leave, but they said the biggest room is the room for improvement.
“You are a model DisCo, the biggest in terms of revenue collection. I don’t know the one that is bigger between you and Ibadan DisCo, in terms of industrial clusters, because I am aware there are a lot of industries within your catchment areas,” he said.
Adelabu urged Nigerians to continue contributing positively to the growth of the country in spite of the current economic challenges.
“It is a bad time for the country. I mean, if you look at the hardship in terms of commodities and prices, these have affected the purchasing power of a lot of people.
“I believe that this is the time for all of us to wake up and do things well for the country.
“Though, I am bothered about what is happening, but I am not discouraged.
“This is the time that you (DisCos) should work hard with us to get desired improvements in power supply to people and businesses,” he added.
He urged DisCos to work closely with the government to expedite national development through a sustainable power sector for reliable and cost-effective sustainable power supply.
Earlier in her address, the Chief Executive Officer of Ikeja Electric, Mrs Folake Soetan, while reeling out some of the giant strides recorded by the company, said that the company had achieved a lot in terms of infrastructure upgrades and capital expenditure.
Soetan said that the company’s total CAPEX in 2015 was N5 billion but grew to N50.58 billion in 2023.
She added that average revenue collection in 2015 was N3.75 billion and grew to N18.22 billion as at 2023.
On metering, she said 30,000 meters were deployed to consumers as at 2015, while the figure hit 800,000 as at 2023.
Soetan lamented that revenue collection in the industry was largely hampered by the huge metering gap and non-payment of bills.
She worried that meter bypass and energy theft contributed immensely to the losses recorded by DisCos.
The Ikeja Electric boss said power generating capacity was still significantly lower than the demand for electricity.
This she noted that had resulted in frequent power outages and load shedding.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.