Endless Darkness in Nigeria

8/8/2019 Endless Darkness in Nigeria

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ffi[$$lnililAmidst the uncertainty hat has becomesynonymouswith the power sector n Nigeria, one thing that seemsquitecertain s thatno end s yet in sight to the

endlessdarkness which the nation has been plunged bysuccessiveegimes;both military and civilians. Thbpainsof darknessinger for Nigerianswho areunable oreconcile ailedpromises f electricitygeneration nddistribution with overwhelming darkness even asNigeriamarksadecade f civil rule.prospectsof earlierrelief from consuming darknessappear clouded byselfishpoliticking,colruptionand mpunityofthe rulingelite

In the daysof the military Nigeriansbracedup to the

reality of disappointmentconstitutedby NationalElectricPowcrAuthority (NEPA)otherwise opularlyreferred o as "Never Expect powerAlways';. But th!agonyof poweroutage otmessier henNEPAbecameNationalElectricPowerpl c leavingNigerianswith nootherchoice han o accept he refrain: ,Never

ExpectPowerPleaseightCandle."

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Amidst this deepening rustration, came the politictransition programme that led to the emergenceObasanjo'sdministrationn May 29,1999.Not unli

his predecessors,basanjo ociferously enounceddecayand nefficiency n the power ,..ior promisingensureegularpowersupply n thecountry.The promito revive the power sectorwhich was a major plankObasanjo's ampaignobviously prompted Chief BoIge who emergedMinister in chargeof power andStein 1999 o confidently pledgeto turn ,stone

to breawithin a short while. To many Nigerians, thapp.ointment f Ige; eruditescholar, egal uminaryanpolitical icon as the Minister in-chargeof powei wacalculatedo shoreup thecredibilityofbbasanjoregim

and to imbue confidence in the capacity oi thadministration o deliver.If Bola Ige thoughipatriotzealwassufficient o turn



Nigeriansnor deliver himself from the ntricaciesof thepower game n government.He was brutally murderedin his bedroom while servingasMinister of JusticeandAttorney Generalof Obasanj 's administration

PresidentUmar Yar'Adua ook over from ObasanjoonMay 29, 2007 and joined the bandwagon of emptypromiseswith pledge o revive hepowersector. ndeed,many Nigerians made poor judgment of Yar'Adua'sseeminglypatriotic declarationat the inception of hisadministration. His ability to perform as the chiefhelmsmanwas mistakenly ied to the much publicizedbut argelyunverified ransparency ndachievements sGovernor of Katsina State for eight years. PresidentYar'Adua'smuch tauntedmodestywhencompared o thethieving crowd of the ruling elite was mistaken forcapacity o provide leadershipor the country or eventransform hepowersector. ar'Adua oyedwith the deaof declaring an emergency n the por'?ersector uponassumption f office. But overwhelmedby thedepthof

comrption and rot in the sectorhe has had to reversehimself ike he did n somanyothercases.

After a year in office, the government of PresidentYa'Adua went to sleep on the power sectorwhile thehugedramaconstituted y the Houseof Representatives'probeof the scamuncovered n the Independent owerProject IPP) nitiatedby Obasanjo'segime asted.Thepub l i c hear i ng conduc ted by the House ofRepresentatives'Committee on Power and Steelfollowing the widely reported scam spiraling into

severalbillions of Dollars appropriatedor the powersector between 1999 and 2007 is presently the mostdisturbingrevelationof the comrption that took placeunder henoseof Obasanjowhoseclaim to transparencyand accountabilitycalled the integr ity of everybody'selse nto question.With controversies lready railingthe probe and allegations of bribery being leveledagainsthe HouseCommitteeconducting heprobe, t isalmostcertain hat he exercisewill go the way of othersimilar probes whose reports and recommendationsneversaw he ight of theday et alone mplemented.

Although a schoolof thoughtholds hatgraftmaynotbethe only factor jeopardizing efforts at generating,transmittingand distributing electricity n the country.But revelationsand evidence enderedat the Elumelu-led HouseCommitteeon theprobeof the power sectorconfirmed that contractsworth severalbillions of USDollars were awarded to companies and contractorswhose certification and competency emain in doubt.Testimonies by prime officers of the Obasanjo'sadministration evealed hat dueprocesswas sidelinedin the award of the contracts n the power sectorand

attested to the monumental fraud that has renderedpower generationmpossible n Nigeria. "Madam due

comiption agendaconfirmed that due processesweresubverted n the award of conffacts.Dr. Mrs. NgozOkonjo-Iweala; a World Bank Expert and formeFinance Minister who abandonedObasanjo's shipunceremoniouslyevealedn her estimony hatunusuaconcessionsand waiver were given to some of thecompanies n circumstances hat underscoredunduinfluenceand compromise.On 12thday of May, 2008

Minister of State for Finance under the Obasanjadministration,Hajia EstherNenadi Usman pointedlindictedCrossRiver StateGovernor, yei ImokeandDrOlusegunAgagu both former Governorof Ondo Statandone imePowerandSteelMinistersunderObasanjoAccording Hajia Usman, Imoke reportedlyasked orwaiver and obtained same notwithstanding herecommendations o the contrary. Imoke like Agagudeniedculpability while in office as Minister of PoweandSteelandjustifiedactionson hebasisof exigencyofthemoment.

However, the actual amount of money sunk into thepower sector by the Obasanjoadministration emainshrouded in secrecy. Even with the public hearinconducted y the Houseof Representatives,he figureappearnot to be for public consumption.The figuremade availableat different times oscillatebetween$5billion and $16billion depending n who is providinthe figures and for what purpose.Nigerians howevecontinue to suffer immense epileptic supply ofelectricity.Whereas heFederalGovernment s believedto have spentapproximatelyN521 billion in the eigh

years of Obasanjo'sadministration,a breakdown ofestimated igures below shows that the power sectogulped ar n excess.

2003-N6I billion2004- N71billion2006- N75billion2007-N88billion2 008 (Jan-March)-N 24 billio n2 008 (March-D ecember)405 billion

According to an industrialistwhose companyhasbeenforced to wind up owing to unbearableoverhearesulting rom unavailabilityof electricity, the situationat every urn appearsworse han t hasever been"! It isworrisome hatdarkness ersists espite he amountsofmoney appropriated so far for the power sector. Thefigures,according o experts ndanalystswere sufficiento guaranteeransmissionanddistribution n thecountryThe figuresare alsobelieved o surpass he budgetsofsome African countrieswhere there is relative steadsupply of electricity.

The question emainswhat will be the stateof powersupply n Nigeriaby 2011when Yar'Adua would have



challengesn the power sector;whether short or longterm basis. Although the Seven Point Agenda haselectricity as an item, popular opinion is that One PointAgendawith electricity as the sole tem would be moreideal for a government ed by Yar'Adua given his snail-l ike and uninspiring posture in governance.

Unfortunately power supply is at the soul of turningNigeria's socio-economic onditionpositively around.

Power supply affects every other sector n substantialand all embracingmanner.There s no doubt that if thecrisis n thepowersector s appropriately esolved,herewill be resounding eaps in other sectorsof nationalendeavours.

Without doubt, previous efforts aimed at reviving the

comatose ower sector ailed largelyowing to politics,

comrptionand mpunity.The Lyel Imoke-ledTechnicalBoard of the National Electric Power Authority wascommissioned n March 2000 to focus mainly on

generatingpower

through rehabilitationof old units.Indeed undswere releasedby the Federal Governmentto the tune of about $1.3 billion for the supply,installationand commissioningof additionalmaterialsandspareparts or the rehabilitationworks at themajorpo\\'er stationsat..{fam,Sapele,Kainji, Ebiri, Ikorodu,Akangba and Jebba respecti\,e11'.t was he convictionofthe Obasanjo egime hatsomething rasticandquick

neededo be done o increasehemegax'attsof 1.500(out of the installed capacity of 3,500mri') to about10,000mw nto the nationalgrid by December2005.Although a temporary measure, the move was

approached omewhatholistically as additional 4,000distribution transformerswere also delivered o boostdistributioncapacity. hisbecame ecessaryecauseorelectricity to be enjoyed eventually by the Nigerianpeople, power needed to be generated,effectivelytransmitted in a coordinated manner for efficientdistribution.This was theprojectionof the government

that by year2005 all of thesearrangements ould haveyieldedabout10,000mw from theunacceptable ,500mw. But behold, the funding of this exercisewas cutshort due to the privatization policy of the Federal

Govemmentwhich recognizeshe fact that herecannolongerbe governmentunding for a utility that hasbeenprivatized.Gradually therefore, here was a relapse othe old situation with reduced unding and dependenceon the old turbines. The consequenceof suchinconsistent olicy left thepowersector n moreparlousstate.

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration in LagosState ook a bold step o generateabout 270mw into thenationalgrid. The entire dea was to import barges romEnron Corporationn the USA. LagosStategovemment

demonstratedapacity o generate lectricitybut neededthe cooperationof the FederalGovemment o transmit

owing to politics, the PDP-led Federal Governmentfrustrated the schemenotwithstanding that the LagosStategovernmenthad already committed to a bond ofabout N220 million which would be deductedat sourcefrom the state's share of monthly federal allocation.Another interventionwas the National IntegratedPowerProject (NIPP) originally designed as the NigerDeltaPower Project (NDPP) with sevenmedium sizedplants

which took on a 'national' outlook in 2005 whenPresidentObasanjo gnored his privatization policy tomake yet another incursion into the power sector.Obasanjo leverlybought nto the deawhen he realizedthat theprojectcould ndeedbe funded rom the excesscrudeoil revenueaccountbelonging o the hree iersofgovernment.

Howeveramajorchallenge ufferedby the nitiativesoftheFederalGovernmentwas hecontroversiesegardingsources f funding. Failure to arrive at a consensus n the

funding of the IPP through the excesscrude oil accountjointly ownedby Federal,States nd Local GovernmentCouncils becamea major hurdle. Besides,most of thecontractors favoured by certain interests withingovernmentcircle had no registeredcompanies o bidfor the ob. Besides,hose egisteredwere ater ound obe lacking in requisiteexpertise o undertakeprojectsofsuch magnitude; resulting in multiple consultancyserviceshat n turn increasedhe original appropriationfor NIPP n 2005 romN322bil l ion o Nl.210 tri l l ion.llore so. a number of thesecontractors according orevelation from the House of Representatives ublic

Hearing)have collectedvirrually all thatwas approvedfor them without visiting the site. Indeed,some of thecontractorsby some nexplicable reasonsare known tohavebeenpaid in excessofthe contractsum approvedforthem.

Crisis in the power sectorhas become he painsof theNigerian masses.Ten years down the lane of civilgovernance,he story remains he same.The situationhas indeed worsened with far reaching economicimplications for Nigerians who continue to suffer

excruciatingeconomicandsocial osses esulting romepilepticpowersupply.The costofpower outage s scaryas statistics eveal that N126b is lost annually by thePHCN owing to power cut while Nigerians spendN200billion to purchase fuel to power millions ofgenerating ets.AWorld Bank report ndicates hat90ohof Companies and factories rely on generatorsTelecommunicationGSM) operators penthugesumsto fuel generators leading to high tariff paid byNigerians for telecommunication.More disturbing isthat he high cost ofpower supply s not in termofmoney

alone. mplication or theenvironment nd ivelihoods sgraveas shown by the negativeeffectsof pollution andemissionwhich contribute o thedeterioration f health.



'iffiii;A'iii'ili,1.;i'rildila;';T'ffi;"i'dr"i;i,'i'ffif"';;ffi;t;;'ii"ii.,.il;, fiai#id;';iiii;'s;;ild#deaths.ThirteenmembersofafamilyinlmoStatediedas failu.e to tackle the energy problem. The economa resultof explosion rom generator. nother family of implicationsof erraticpoi.t iupply hasbeena ma

9ix in Benin City, Edo State, fell victims of similar concernforNigerians. Froductive^capacitiesofarioincident. The incident in the Obile community in categories oi Artiruns like Hairdressers, peppOhaji/Egbema ocal GovemmentArea of Imo Statl the Grinders,Welders, ailorsandothersmallscale usinthirteenmembers f a_familywerereportedlychoked o centers rebeengrosslyhindered.Now thesituationhdeath by generator umes. The victims of the Obile ignitedcrisis n the sustainableivelihoodsactivitiesincident

include eight children, two pregnantwomen low income amilieswho eithersolely ely daily retuand hreemen.Among themwereoneEthelbert ohn,his from small scaleengagementor survivalor thosewwife, maidand ourchildren. dependon this activities o augmenteamings rom pa

Accordingoa reportthe ictimsere atchingfi3:ilff*i#::l#i"'"tt"];tTf;:'f;jr?,*Jlfi:televisionat night andsleptoff while thegeneratorwas with high costof fueling po*., gene'rating lanis.Soon- They were later found dead in the morning. An companieshathaveminagedt6 stayafloatup to 20autopsyconductedand released o the fficials of the are considering elocatingto neighbouring ountrieState Ministry of Heqlth linked the death to carbon notablyGhanawherestableelectric-ityisguaranteemonoxide arising from generator .fumes. A similarincident was recorded in Obowo Local GovernmentArea of Imo state in 2007 in which eight persons ost coNCLUSIoNtheir ives. The ncident n Edo State edto thedeathof By and arge, t is clear hatno solution s yet in sighta 75 year-oldman, MichaelAiwekhoi, his 50-yearold darkness ersists crosshecountry. n thelast ten"yewife and our othermembers f the amily.The ncident, of civil rule, the power sectorhas been enmeshedthe report adds occu|9d at his hogbeStreet esidence combinationof the lls ofpolitics andcomrption ypifiein BeninCity,claimed he ife of thesonof thedeceased, by ambivalentpolicy, iulture of impunity. OidinaEric Aiwekhoi,who was o havecompleted is National Nigerianshowevbrremainvictims ofihe ugly ,,pow

YouthSen'ice Corps (NYSC)programme n February play", crass orruptionandunmitigatedrnpunity n ththisyear It also claimed he ife of a graduateoJ'Auchi powersector.Polytechnic and three others". In July 2008, sixteenpeoplealsodied n Abia Stateafteraprayersession. hevictims reportedly nhaledpoisonousumes rom power

generatingset while they were sleepingafter a prayersession.

In December 2008, power generation n the countrydropped from about 2,600 megawatts o about 1,200megawatts. he nationaldemand or power s estimatedto be about 10,000megawatts. ncreasingdeathsby

We canall reclaim our rights o constant upplyelectricity y demanding:

* Independentprobeof thepowersector:k Prosecutionof all indicted fbr corruptio

without further delay* Regu lar e lec t r i c i t y as campaig

issueat thenextelection.

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Endless Darkness in Nigeria