Revive Power, Revive The Economy

Source: Emmanuel I. Atumen

The federal government through the ministry of Power, Works and Housing said they do not have the right to sanction Power Generation and Distribution Companies (PGDCs) operating in Nigeria. The minister specifically stated that they lack the moral right to penalize the firms due to the fact that many government agencies were heavily indebted to the various companies. Well, I wish there was an explanation on that.

Notwithstanding, it was amazing when the news was read. We were very optimistic about the privatization of the power sector, especially after taking a careful account on the Telecoms sector. And personally, I was so certain the power sector would come alive, seeing that one man everyone respects so much at the affairs of it: the man who was almost transforming Lagos state to a state that could believe was not a part of Nigeria.

The PGDCs are toiling with the improvement plans of the government thereby frustrating their efforts to raise the economic activities in the country in order to reawaken the economy from it state of recession. And all the government could say was that they lack the moral right to sanction these people who are jeopardizing their efforts to revamp the current economic status quo. Then what kind of deal did they enter with these firms? They need to go back to the negotiating table so that these companies could be put on check every of their activity. We need power to run industries.

The government is saying in effect that whatever be the attitudes of these companies, their power distribution attitude, billing attitude, customer service attitude, etc towards the good people of Nigeria, the government hands are tied and can’t do anything to correct that.

Initially, we thought the privatization would be like that of the Telecoms sector where may be 3 companies at least would be distributing in one state. The people would patronize the distributing company that serves better. Then and only then there would be competition and consequently the best coming out from the various companies. But it was the other way round where one company is in-charge of at least 3 states. We won’t go far with this, because the companies can afford to do what they like knowing fully well that they are the only one to distribute in the state and now the government is adding another one to it to their advantage giving them more license to do what they like because they can’t be sanctioned nor penalized. It ought not to be so.

Take a look at what is going on right now in Udu in Delta state. For more than a month now, the distribution company, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) said they won’t give the citizenry power for 3 months over a dispute between their staff and some group of protesters in that town and they are punishing the whole of Udu for that.

They were able to take such a decision because they saw nobody can query them, even when they knew they were at fault according to what we gathered from the grapevine. The protest came as a result of over-billing even when the people do not see the light.

This company, BEDC would have really held on to what they had said if not for the intervention of the Udu local government chairman, Mr Solomon Okpoma, who had assured the people of Udu that the issue would be resolved and power restored soon.

The federal government through the ministry of Power, Works and Housing really need to look into this issue of PGDCs can’t be called to order.

Nonetheless, we want to thank the federal government for their efforts to make things work especially in the power sector, and every aspect of the economy.

God bless the people of Nigeria, God bless Nigeria.

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