Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Raji Fashola, recently disclosed that the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) needed N222 billion intervention in order to provide meters for Nigerians. One of the conditions of Electricity Power Sector Reform Act (EPSR) 2005 was the provision of meters to customers within 24-month.
Th e fi rst intervention by the present government was in February 2015, when the CBN gave loans to the GENCOs and DISCOs. Th e apex bank disbursed N182.6 billion to Nigerian Electricity Market Stabilization Fund (NEMSF). And barely some days later, it gave another sum of N39.53 billion to the second batch of the benefi ciaries.
Th ese are interventions from the apex bank since this administration came to power in 2015. Now, my question is: “is it logical, legal and acceptable norm to sell a company to someone and later give the person money to help run the company? When has the CBN become a Father Christmas? Meanwhile, the same CBN has not deemed it fi t to give loan to pay the former hardworking, patriotic and forcefully disengaged staff of PHCN. What a double standard indeed! Former President Goodluck Jonathan, with due respect, and his PDP sold the company at a giveaway price for reasons best known to them, the present APC government is keeping mute, I hope all is well? It may interest fellow Nigerians to note that for almost 18 years of our democratic experiment, over N11.5 trillion has been expended so far from the public treasury to the power sector to no avail. During the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo $16 billion was spent, when Jonathan came to power, there was another $11 billion and $10 billion in that order. Th e monies spent so far in the power sector would have given us something close to 50,000 megawatts of electricity. Someone should help me do the arithmetic of the money spent so far and convince me as an engineer, why we cannot achieve over 50,000 mw. Prominent Nigerians, including the business mogul, Aliko Dangote, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and other concerned Nigerians have lent their voice to the fraud called privatization. It is high time our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari broke his silence on the power sector ‘abrakadabra’. No nation has ever developed without adequate electricity, Nigeria cannot be an exception. No economist, no matter his or her intellectual prowess can ever convince me that Nigeria can industrialize on a mere 4,000mw of electricity. Finally, we are vehemently opposed to any more intervention to the DISCOs period! I hope the ‘powerful’ minister Fashola and CBN Governor Emefi ele are listening. At least, this is people oriented government and we have spoken, and so shall it be. If the DISCOs cannot provide meters for Nigerians, let them declare ‘force-ma-jure’, just like they did for Yola DISCO, when they realized it was not viable. Lest I forget, l call on the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige (Onwa), to please see reason to persuade the authority’s concerned to pay the disengaged PHCN staff their entitlement as they are dying on daily basis. Must everyone go on strike in this country before he gets his legitimate entitlement? Th e stoic nature of Nigerians has made our leaders to take us for granted for too long. U. S. Ladan (Snr), Jos, Plateau State
Ambode and abandoned inner streets DisCos don’t deserve more bail-out Like us on: facebook: blueprint.ng twitter: @blueprintngr instagram: @blueprintNigeria Th e Abule Egba Bridge is a signature project of the Akinwunmi Ambode administration in Lagos. It is a beauty to behold, especially at night, with the water fountain placed strategically by its side fully operational. Besides, the construction of the bridge has helped to push traffi c on the Lagos-Abeokuta axis among other advantages.
However, this laudable project has brought untold hardship on the people leaving in New Oko Oba. Th e good roads in the entire area took a hit because all the articulated vehicles going to Ota/Abeokuta from Lagos when the Abula Egba Bridge was under construction were diverted to the area. Suffi ce to say that culverts, roads and walkways were destroyed such that the enviable area is now completely no longer motorable. Th e rains have also made things worse. Now, the people are lamenting the negative eff ect of building the bridge on their lives.
Yes, Governor Ambode promised that the inner roads would be fi xed after the completion of work on the bridge. But that has not been done. Work actually started on Charity Road end by Abule Egba but the contractor stopped inexplicably by the entrance to Social Club Road. Did the contractor abandon work due to lack of fund? Th e other half of Charity Road through to Olaniyi Road to connect to Adewunmi Adu, Kareem Alabi, Jibowu Road to link up Agbe Road are reeling under the terrible eff ect of the movement of articulated vehicles.
Also totally destroyed is Social Club Road through Santos Avenue to join Agbe Road and the Sanni Balogun road, whose culvert to connect Agbe road had been destroyed. During construction time, people on these streets could not sleep because the heavy duty vehicles moved day and night. Now, the work has been completed, yet they have no road again.
Our worry now is whether in spite of the assurance by the governor, there is currently buck passing between the contractor and the government’s agency that fi xes roads. Why should this be? Whoever has the responsibility to fi x these roads should be called to account lest the good work of Ambode take away the comfort of the people. Olusola Adelakun, Abule Egba, Lagos
