The worsening power generation and distribution nationwide has stifled socio-economic and political life forcing productive activities to a halt. Experts in the industry are now calling for immediate dialogue between the federal government and stakeholders in order to look for a rescue package that will permanently mitigate the current nationwide power outages.
President Muhammadu Buhari guaranteed steady supply of electricity to most homes across the country before he was elected, but what followed after that flash in the pan period was that power supply virtually relapsed from worse to worst with most households subjected to the excruciating pains of darkness daily. Yet, these homes are still expected to pay estimated bills even when no service has been rendered. It has never been this worse.
The present administration promised Nigerians that it will ensure the “generation, transmission and distribution of at least 20,000 MW of electricity within four years and increasing to 50,000 MW with a view to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power supply within 10 years.”
What Nigerians are witnessing is the current experience of perpetual nationwide darkness, which underscores the fact that Nigerians are experiencing something worse than hell.
In retrospective, the Obasanjo regime reportedly sunk about $16 billion in this effort which ended up with the building of several power plants under the National Independent Power (NIPP) project. Unfortunately, the power plants were conceived and built without provision for gas.
The feelings across the nation over worsening power situation since the past three years that the private sector took over the generation and distribution of electricity in the country have been that of anger and outright frustration. Nationwide, there’s no power supply. But consumers pay for darkness.
Three years after the privatisation, Nigerians have not seen the promised benefits of the private sector’s take-over of the distribution and generation of power.
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