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Since the inauguration of the
Federal Government headed by President Shehu Umaru Yar'Adua,
he has promised Nigerians that he would declare a state of
emergency on the power sector of Nigerian economy. We are
all aware of the fact that power/electricity is the life
wire of any country's economy. Therefore, no developed or
developing countries of the world can play with this
all-important sector of the economy.
We are all aware of the fact that the defunct National
Electric Power Authority, otherwise known and addressed as
“NEPA” has failed us since its inception, that failure is
attributed to bad leadership and bad management of human and
material resources. In a bid to effect a change to an
uninterrupted power supply, the Government of Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo during the privatization of public enterprises
undertaken by Bureau of public enterprises (BPE), decided to
nickname the new Parastatals, “POWER HOLDING” OF NIGERIA
PLC. Infact, when these people came with the name, they
forgot the natural consequences of a bad name. They never
knew that power holding company should certainly mean that
our electricity supply should become more irregular than it
was before and that our power shall always be “on hold” all
the time. Whatsoever informed the use of that name, the most
salient issue is that the new outfit “Power Holding” has
certainly failed us again.
It has been on record going by Hon. Elumelu House of
Representative Committee Chairman on power that the previous
Federal Government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo spent the sum
of #16 billion naira in the power sector between 1999-2007.
One must certainly commend the efforts of the members of the
committee on power for their boldness and patriotism in
probing how such fabulous sum of money was squandered and
mismanaged.
Be that as it may, it has reached a stage when the
president, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua should keep his covenant with
Nigerians on his promise to declare a state of Emergency on
the power sector. To my mind, if he does this, then
Nigerians would certainly know that he is serious and mean
business in the onerous task of supplying us with constant
electricity.
At the moment, Nigerians are suffering, as many companies
cannot operate their minimum operational level as a result
of power holding. The Nigerian welders, hairdressers,
electricians, computer operators and trainees, manufacturing
companies and even private users of electricity cannot have
access to power, which is the mainstay of our economy. There
is loss of man's hour, resources, money and the
communication industry are also complaining about power to
function effectively. Infact, every sector of the economy is
seriously affected by the outrage of power supply.
Nigerians are therefore expecting President Yar'Adua not
only to set up a committee to make sure that a certain
megawatt of power is generated, that we enjoy uninterrupted
power supply as is done in Europe and America even in South
Africa. It is our contention that our President Yar'Adua
shall not escape God's judgment if he reneges in his promise
to declare a state in Emergency in the power sector of the
economy.
It is believed that if a state of emergency is declared, the
Federal Government would stop deceiving themselves on
organizing seminars, workshops and lectures on how to
increase our electricity megawatts but rather take positive
action on what type of power is suitable to us, whether to
use coal energy, solar energy, wind energy or any suitable
type that would give Nigerians uninterrupted power supply.
The state of Emergency would drive the government to
complete the over hauling the Holding Company by making sure
that the privatization of the so called “Power Holding
Company” is completed and all the fifteen subsidiaries of
the Power Holding Company in charge of generation,
distribution, marketing and commercial is brought to
limelight.
Also, the state of Emergency would enable the power or
electricity consumers to pay their bill based on what they
have used and not based on what it is assumed by the meter
readers. Nigerians shall be enlightened on the need to
safeguard our transformers, electricity poles and all the
property of the Power Holding Company.
The State of Emergency to be declared by our resourceful and
covenant keeping president shall give us a consistent
policies and legislation by the executive and legislative
arm of Government, which would in turn attract foreign
investment in the power sector. The laws to be enacted shall
aim at punishing saboteurs, fraudsters and miscreants who
are bent on making sure that we do not enjoy electricity in
our generation. The state of Emergency will address the
problem associated with Obasanjo's contractors who collected
billions of US dollars without executing projects. That such
contractor are brought to ICPC and EFCC to face the wrath of
law no matter whether they are Obasanjo's daughter, Chinese,
American, black or green in colour.
Etim Daniel is a journalist and an Attorney at law
writes from Uyo.  |
