• Govt assures of regular power
• Restructures Power ministry
ECHOING exploitation, electricity consumers in Lagos have protested what they described as outrageous bills and incessant outages, which have been persisting over the years.
Meanwhile, despite complaints on drop in electricity and poor service delivery nationwide, government Tuesday assured the power sector revolution would soon unleash Nigeria into a new season of peace, progress, prosperity and development.
Business activities at the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Mushin Business District was on Monday disrupted for over two hours, as aggrieved electricity consumers trooped out enmass to protest the agency's anomalous services.
The protesters displayed various placards condemning the unpleasant situation, which poor PHCN services have imposed on them.
The Chairman of the Mushin Community Development Association, Olabode Cole, told The Guardian, that commercial and domestic activities in the area have almost collapsed due to poor power supply, thereby increasing reliance on power generating sets.
The affected areas include, Ofada, Folarin, Adekitan, Palm Avenue, Ladipo and some parts of Papa-Ajao.
According to him, "the community has not enjoyed electricity supply since the beginning of this year. Despite the fact that they don't give adequate supply, the most annoying is that they keep bringing outrageous bills."
The Business Manager of Ikeja Business unit, Lateef Olaleye at a recent customer's consultative forum, linked the situation to introduction of the new Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO II) and incessant vandalism on power equipment.
He said: "Without doubt, our quality of service has not reached that level where we can rise and cling glasses for a job well-done. There have been occasions when some areas would be without electricity supply for hours or days probably due to occurrence like heavy storm uprooting poles, failure of obsolete equipment, vandalism or careless drivers running into our installations."
He added that vandalism has become a cankerworm, stressing "within the past four months, Ikeja Business Unit has recorded the vandalisation of nine transformer substations.''
Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo gave the assurance at Abuja yesterday where he presented his scorecard as part of the mid-term achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
He added that government has done well so far and that his team would consolidate the gains in the previous years' performance and improve power supply between 16-24 hours per day for Nigerians.
To achieve most of its targets, he said government had commenced a major restructuring of the Ministry of Power and its agencies to cope with the evolving role in a privatised environment.
To improve rural access to electricity, government, he said, had now developed a draft rural electrification strategy and implementation plan, stressing that it is being finalised.
He further disclosed that the hitherto moribund Rural Electrification Agency (REA) would now focus on increased exploitation of renewables and the facilitation of rural electrification projects.
He said REA had already carried out the survey, design, procurement and award of several rural electrification projects under 2012 capital appropriation.
On the achievements recorded so far in government's electricity reform process, he said: "The Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act of 2005 provided the platform for the reform of deregulating the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) from the control, ownership and regulation of the sector by the Federal Government to a private sector-driven industry. The launching of the Roadmap by President Goodluck Jonathan in August 2010 has led to significant progress in the implementation of the structural reforms outlined in the Act.
"The major achievements to date are as follows: Bidding and selection of preferred bidders for the 10 distribution companies and the five generation companies was concluded in November 2012, contracts have been signed and bidders have already made initial payments of 25 per cent of the bid price.
He further explained: "Presidential Power Reform Transaction signing and presentation of certificates for payment of initial deposits to successful bidders of the distribution and generation companies by the President was performed in April 2013; handling over of the Transmission Company of Nigeria to Manitoba Hydro International for management contract concluded. Schedule of delegated Authority given to Manitoba; commencement of the process for the sale of ten power generating plants built by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company."
And despite severally announced date, the Federal Government has again shifted the date for the payment of severance packages to electricity workers.
Nebo had on April 22 said at the State House, Abuja that before the end of June 2013, government would have completed the payment of PHCN severance benefits.
The ministry had promised to commence payment on June 17.
However, speaking yesterday, Nebo stressed that though the payments would have commenced last week, it would not take off as envisaged. He did not give reasons for the delay.
There have been fears that private sector operators who won bids for the nation's power utilities were waiting for government to resolve the payment of severance packages to the nation's electricity workers before they can pay the 75 per cent balance to government.
Nebo said, however, "Resolution of labour issues is also completed. The severance pay to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) workers will commence this week." He later changed 'this week' to 'soon'.
To enhance the security of power supply, the minister said government is assiduously working towards the diversification of the fuel mix.
He added: "In this regard, the nation's vast resources of coal, wind, solar, biomass and hydropower potential are being fully exploited. Feasibility studies on the development of coal to power are on-going in five coal blocks in Enugu axis and three coal blocks in Benue, Kogi and Gombe axis. Progress of work on the studies is at 25percent and is expected to focus on clean coal technology.
"Feasibility studies on ten dams with small hydropower potentials which commenced in 2011 have been completed and ready for concession."
He went on: "Going forward, the Ministry will pursue vigorously the following: Private Investment - including Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the Power sector (IPPs, distribution, renewable energy & capacity building); transmission grid expansion (Super Grid); develop framework for alternative funding of transmission projects that will allow recovery of investments; conclusion of labour-related issues; develop local content framework in the power sector; promoting energy efficiency and conservation; collaborate with other agencies to check vandalisation of power infrastructure."
The Guardian