Electricity Supply Will Improve Within 6 Months — Minister
Minister of Power announces that, the country will have better access to electricity in six months.
Nigerians have been reassured by Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu that during the next three to six months, the power sector's investments and continuous upgrades will improve the country's electricity supply.
Mr Adelabu gave the assurance during a working visit to some ongoing projects in Maryland and Alausa substations on Thursday in Lagos. Mr Adelabu visited Ikeja Electric and other ongoing projects in Lagos metropolis.
He revealed that Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had started upgrading some substations in Lagos, bringing 30 MVA transformers to 100 MVA in Maryland and 205 MVA in Alausa. The minister insisted that the federal government would eventually take a stand on the imposition of a cost-reflective tax on the electricity industry.
He urged the Distribution Companies (DisCos) to guarantee quality service delivery in order to support tariff reviews, stating that low investment across the board was caused by a lack of funding for infrastructure upgrades. The minister stated that the ministry would use all available resources to make sure Discos lift their game through significant investment, adding, “if that fails, it will resort to legal backing.”
Mr Adelabu lamented the rising cases of vandalism of power assets across the country, recommending capital punishment for vandals. He labelled vandals of power assets as “kllers of people and saboteurs of business growth.”
He said: “We need scapegoats. We are ready to give them the right punishment in terms of prosecution. Punishment for vandals should go beyond a six-month jail term. Capital punishment should be meted out for power vandals. They kiIl people, and they kill businesses.”
Mr. Adelabu went on to say that everyone involved in the value chain of the power industry needs to be fully committed. He noted that the fact that the nation was producing a meager 5,000MW out of its installed potential of 13,000MW remained concerning.
The minister stated that in order for the government to go on with its plan to break the current deadlock, Mr. Adelabu promised to switch from a top-to-bottom to a bottom-to-top master plan, “Going forward, efforts will now be concentrated on development and infrastructure upgrade from Discos to GenCos and then transmission. If we get it right at the DisCo level, then we are most certain that we are almost getting there. The meeting is planned, not accidental. You have made landmark achievements in the last 10 years.
“You have done well in relation to other DisCos. We can just shake your hands and leave, but they said the biggest room is the room for improvement. You are a model Disco, the biggest in terms of revenue collection. I don't know the one that is bigger between you and Ibadan DisCo, in terms of industrial clusters, because I am aware there are a lot of industries within your catchment areas,” he said.
Notwithstanding the nation's present economic difficulties, Mr. Adelabu urged Nigerians to keep making constructive contributions to the nation's development. “It is a bad time for the country. I mean, if you look at the hardship in terms of commodities and prices, these have affected the purchasing power of a lot of people. I believe that this is the time for all of us to wake up and do things well for the country. Though, I am bothered about what is happening, but I am not discouraged.
“This is the time that you (DisCos) should work hard with us to get desired improvements in power supply to people and businesses,” he continued. In order to hasten national growth through a sustainable power sector for a dependable and reasonably priced sustainable power supply, he asked DisCos to collaborate closely with the government.
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