Tag Archives: Electricity

Jubilation as electricity is restored to Ogwashi-Uku, Delta state after 7 years darkness.

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There was jubilation by residents of some parts of Ogwashi-Uku, headquarters of Aniocha-South Council of Delta State over the weekend, as Benin Electricity Distribution (BEDC) restored power to the community seven years after it was thrown into darkness.

The restoration, according to BEDC’s plan, is expected to be extended to other residents of the town in due course, as more transformers would be metered and energised in the coming days, as enumeration revalidation, network rehabilitation and safety checks continue in earnest.

The restoration process started with a town hall meeting organised by the Ogwashi-Uku D-Forum, in collaboration with the management of BEDC, led by the Chief State Head (Delta), Ernest Edgar, and including the Business Manager, Asaba Business Unit, Adekola Abiodun, and his technical team, with delegates from the various quarters and sub-clans that make up Ogwashi-Uku and environs was meant to brief residents on the extent of job done so far.

Edgar expressed shock at the level of vandalism of the network, in spite of rehabilitation work carried out by BEDC in June last year, pleading with the community leaders to work with the company to educate the public on the need to protect the equipment.

Edgar educate the people on the NERC directive on the use of methodology for estimated billing and confirmed that individual estimated bills would be delivered to each customer based on the global readings from the statistical meters installed on each transformer feeding the respective customers connected to the same transformer.

BEDC Safety Manager, Gilbert Nweke, enlightened the delegates on basic safety tips to be disseminated to their people in readiness for the gradual restoration of power in phases to the various areas.

 

Source: The Guardian

NNPC Set To Generate 4000 MW Of Electricity

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC will generate about 4, 000 megawatts of power in the next ten years to boost the supply in the country.

This was disclosed by the Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gas and Power, Engr. Saidu Mohammed, at the 2017 retreat of his Autonomous Business Unit, ABU (Gas and Power), in Kaduna, saying this would be achieved through building independent power plants.

Explaining the concept in Abuja, Engr. Mohammed said the power plants would be built in the next three to ten years by Incorporated Joint Venture Companies that would involve NNPC, International Power Companies and other Nigerian Investors to be structured after the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) business model.

“Power generation is a big business. As at today, NNPC has interest in two power plants, one in Okpai, Delta State and the other in Afam, Rivers State, which were respectively built by our Joint Ventures with Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). These two power plants collectively generate up to 1,000 megawatts and they are the most reliable and cheapest source of power to the national grid in Nigeria today,” Engr. Mohammed affirmed.

He said plans were underway to commence Okpai Phase 2 Power Plant and that other JV power plants like Obite & Agura would also be progressed soon to boost power generation in the country.
The NNPC COO noted that the new thinking involved the extension of the Corporation’s major gas pipeline infrastructure into a robust network to connect various parts of the country, adding that implementation of the Ajaokuta to Abuja-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) extension has progressed.

“The main base-loads to justify such infrastructure are power plants that would consume the gas and for that, we are planning to build about 2,000 to 3,100 megawatts, combined, in these three cities.
“The partnership will involve players who will bring in their various capacities as operators, builders of power plants and as investors. NNPC will also bring its strength of being a dominant player in the Nigerian gas value chain,” Engr. Mohammed revealed.

He stated that NNPC as a stakeholder in the gas value chain had developed capabilities in processing, transportation and marketing of gas for export and domestic utilization.

He further added that the nation’s gas resources had the potential of changing the landscape of the Nigerian economy for the better.
“If you generate enough power, the multiplier effect will revive most of the moribund industries across the country. NNPC intends to capture 50 per cent of the gas market in Nigeria by growing the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) from the 500 million standard cubic feet/day of gas that it is today to about 3 to 4 billion standard cubic feet/day in the next 10 years,” the COO enthused.

He said NNPC required about $15 billion investment to realize the Gas and Power Autonomous Business Unit, ABU, aspirations and that discussions were already ongoing with Investors world-wide to address gas deficit by building on the already existing gas infrastructure.

Engr. Mohammed noted that in line with the Gas Master Plan, NNPC would be producing gas with its JV partners and with other interested Nigerian investors to build treatment plants to achieve the deadline.

“We are going to unbundle the upstream by delineating the midstream so as to allow other players operate in it while NNPC as the operator of the pipeline network will continue to deliver gas to the downstream sector and ultimate consumers,” he stated.

World Bank Report: 75 million Nigerians lack access to electricity.

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Nigeria is second to India on the list of countries with the highest electricity access deficit with 75 million people compared to India’s 263 million persons.

According to a new World Bank report, other countries on the list of nations with highest electricity access deficit are Ethiopia with 67 million; Bangladesh 62 million; Congo Democratic Republic with 55 million; Tanzania with 40 million; Kenya with 33 million; Uganda with 30 million; Sudan with 25 million; and Myanmar with 25 million people.

According to the report, an energy scorecard released on Monday, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Sudan alone have 116 million people without adequate electricity.

The authors noted that energy access, efficiency and renewables are on the rise in many developing nations, but in places like sub-Saharan Africa, the energy situation is still grim and hundreds of millions remain unconnected.

According to the report, access is, in part, a financial issue in these countries. In many sub-Saharan Africa countries, people pay more than $500 to connect to the grid, while in another developing country, Bangladesh, the cost is as little as $22.

Senior Director and Head of Energy and Extractives at the World Bank, Riccardo Puliti, said: “Africa has long been the least electrified, and power there cannot keep up with population growth. Those disparities won’t disappear without policies encouraging both private and public investment.”

According to the report, for much of the world, however, renewables are growing fast: 93 per cent of countries have renewable energy targets, and more than three-quarters have supporting legislation.

This growth, however, needs more focus. Just 39 per cent of countries have studied how to integrate renewables such as solar and wind power into their current electrical grids, the authors found.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sustainable Energy for All, a sustainable energy initiative launched by the United Nations in 2011, Rachel Kyte, said: “The world is in a race to secure a clean energy transition. The underlying message is that we must go further and faster.”

Besides, Energy economics global lead for the World Bank Group, Vivien Foster, said: “African countries on the whole scored very poorly, with as many as 40 per cent barely beginning policy measures to accelerate access to energy. African countries on the whole scored very poorly.”

 

Source: The Guardian

I have spent a month without electricity in my office – Women Affairs Minister

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Aisha Alhassan, minister of women affairs, says sometimes she stays in her office for a month without electricity.

Alhassan said this on Tuesday when she appeared before house of representatives committee on women affairs and social development for the defence of her ministry’s budget.

She blamed consistent blackout for the delay in submitting the documents required for her ministry’s budget defence.

“The challenge we had is that, sometimes at the secretariat, we stay for three, four, five weeks without light; right now, this is the third week that we have stayed without light,” Alhassan said.

“The permanent secretary and I had to raise money personally to buy diesel at the Women Centre to do it. At the time, because there was no light we couldn’t retrieve data from the desktop computers.

“Unfortunately, we did not have the data in flash drives, so it was partly our fault and partly not ours. But all I can say is that, honourable chairman, we sincerely apologise. We are very sorry for that and it will not repeat itself.”

On her part, Stella Uchenna, chairperson of the committee, expressed her displeasure at the late submission of the documents.

She said there was need for ministries, departments and agencies (MDA’s) to cooperate with the national assembly.

The legislator explained that early submission of documents would have given the committee time to understudy them before budget defence.

“On January 30, we requested that you send to us the budget implementation of 2016, the document didn’t reach us. Then on February 9, we wrote a reminder and still we did not get a reply,” Uchenna said.

“And because we were short of time, we now wrote requesting for the budget performance for 2016 and the proposal for 2017, and we got the centre and the ministry yesterday.”

 

Source: The Cable

Unmetered electricity consumers cry out in Lagos.

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More than three years after they took over operations of the power sector, the distribution companies (Discos), handling retail distribution and marketing of electricity in Nigeria, have not been able to effectively tackle the issue of metering, thereby leaving millions of their consumers at the mercy of estimated billings.

When the nation’s power sector was privatised, many Nigerians had hoped that things would get better, especially with regard to improving power supply and quality of services provided.

But, both the Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (DISCO) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) who lament the high cost of foreign exchange, insisted that they are trying their best to ensure every customers within their networks are metered.

Consumers had expected that upon the takeover by the new owners, metering would be one of the issues that will be urgently addressed to restore confidence in the billing system, as this is the only way to determine actual consumption of energy.

The Discos have a five-year agreement post-privatisation agreement with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to meter their customers. But three years down the line, the Discos seem to be in no hurry to fulfil their part of this agreement, preferring to hound customers with jaw-dropping estimated bills.

For this and many more reasons, some consumers including individuals and corporates prefer to provide electricity for themselves.Dammy Okegbami, a shipping consultant in Apapa, told The Guardian he has never used the public power in the four years he has been running his office, but relied on his generating sets.

He explained: “when I got to this complex four years ago all the occupants of this complex run their various businesses with power generators. Of course Eko Electricity Distribution Company brought us estimated billing that was very outrageous and very difficult for us to pay, so we all decided not to pay them and we were cut off.

“I applied for a pre-paid meter long time ago, the answer I got was that meter was not available. I spend N13,500 monthly to fuel my generator, which does not include the money I spend on the maintenance of the generator. If I had been properly metered I may not be paying this much, but still cheaper than the estimated bill,” he said.

Tunde Ibrahim, a residence of Ilasamaja, a Lagos suburb, told The Guardian he is being frustrated by the high estimated billing he has been subjected to for over two years.

According to him, “I live in a room and parlour and I usually paid less than N2,000 a per month before the prepaid meter I was using with my landlord got spoilt about two years ago. Since the meter got spoilt, we have been placed on estimated billing, the amount they bring keep increasing every month.

“There was a time we complained and they promised to do something about it, although the subsequent bill they brought after the complain was moderate, but the bill that they brought after that one went up again, so we do not know what exactly is wrong with this people,” he lamented.

A consumer, Blessing Okafor, who lives in Itire, another Lagos suburb, said while she is billed between N3,900 and N4,900 monthly for her one room self-contained apartment, her next door neighbour, who is on prepaid metering spends N2,000 monthly, even with more electrical appliances.

Okafor said although she has applied for a prepaid meter since 2013, she is yet to have one installed, as Ikeja Electric insists the meters are not available.

More frustrating, she said, is the fact that switches off all her appliances, when she went to work daily, but and her neighbour’s wife, who is mostly at home with her children and use more power end up paying less, while she paid more.

Another consumer, Mrs Tayo Odutola, complained that she went from paying N2,000 to N7,000/month after her prepaid meter got spoilt in 2014, and she was placed on estimated billing.

She said she has complained to Eko Disco about her ordeal and she was told to disregard what is on the bill and pay at least N3,000 monthly, to avoid being disconnected.

Speaking on the company’s efforts to meter every customer in its network, the Chief Executive Officer Oladele Amoda, said the devaluation of the Naira compared to the dollar has partly contributed to inadequate meters within the Eko Disco’s network.

But he said the Disco had signed an agreement with Mojek International, an indigenous smart meter manufacturing company, for the supply of over 100,000 meters in December.“We also signed another agreement with Huawei Technologies Company Limited, an international company based in this country, to supply the remaining 100,000 pre-paid meters.

“We have started metering consumers under our network with these meters. It is our responsibility to meter all consumers and we are looking at being able to deploy the 200,000 meters before the year runs out. The motive is to eliminate estimation of consumers billing by 2017,” he said.

Amoda said the company had been on a metering programme since 2015, and would have metered all its customers, but for some challenges confronting successful implementation of the scheme.

He listed inflation and increase in foreign exchange rate as challenges the company had to contend with.Also speaking with The Guardian yesterday, spokesman for Ikeja Electric Plc, Felix Ofulue, believed that the scarcity of dollars has increased the price of installing meters in the country.
He claimed the Disco had metered 90 per cent of its customers in the zone, to make the electricity billing based only on energy consumed.

He said the company is doing its best to ensure all its customers are metered, adding that “Recently, the estimated billings of consumers are coming down because more consumers are now under the company’s database.”

Ofulue however noted that: “The reason why it seems many costumers are yet to be metered is because there are a lot of developing areas under our network, which are yet to be reached; it is a gradual thing. We are not going to reach everybody the same day, but will definitely do our best.”

Federal Government gives reasons for declining electricity supply

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The Federal Government has blamed declining electricity supply in the country on liquidity problems, pipeline vandalism and sabotage of oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta.

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who briefed newsmen after yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) ?meeting presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, however, disclosed that the government was working hard to address the challenge.
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According to Fashola, “You heard that there was liquidity problems. Gas suppliers have not been fully paid; generating companies (GENCOs) have also not been fully paid. You heard this ‘back and forth’ between distribution companies (DISCOs) and GENCOs. So, those are some of the issues.”

He said: “We have been meeting with the gas suppliers, trying to see how we can pay off some of these debts, while we fix other problems. As I continue to say, it is not technical, but financial.”

The minister, however, maintained that vandalism of pipelines is not technical. People were destroying, they were angry.

“Also, until we resolve some behavioural issues: people collect money and have not been remitting in a manner that is fair,” Fashola stated.

The Federal Government also pledged to commit additional ?N3.5 billion for the completion of the Odogunyan transmission sub-station in Ikorodu, Lagos State, to improve power generation.

This, the government said would provide additional transformer capacity at the sub-station as well as 260mva transformers and transmission lines of 132 kva to complete the works in that area generally known within the power industry as Ayobo West.

Fashola, who was joined by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed during the briefing, disclosed that the contract for the project had been awarded since 2009 but abandoned because it was not paid for.

FG to sanction electricity companies that fail to provide meters to customers

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, says it will sanction DISCOs which failed to meter electricity customers in their networks before Feb. 28, 2017.

NERC in a statement on its website and obtained by News Agency Of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja on Wednesday said that sanctioning of the defaulting DISCOs would begin on March 1.

It stated that the envisaged sanction was sequel to the initial directives by NERC and the moratorium period given to DISCOs to meter consumers.

The company said this was in line with its mandate of protecting the rights of customers. It said it had in June 2016 after consultation with the operators, directed DISCOs to conclude metering of all customers before Nov. 30, 2016.

According to NERC, the commission at the expiration of that notice granted three months moratorium which will expire February 28, 2017 to enable the DISCOs effectively execute the metering deployment plan for customers.

It stated that any electricity customer yet to be metered as at February 28, 2017 should report to the commission through any of its Forum Offices in all the states of the federation.

NERC urged customers that had advanced money to the DISCOs through the now wound down Credited Advance Payment for Metering Initiatives, CAPMI, to make use of the complaint redress mechanism.

“The Commission is by this notice advising electricity customers not to take laws into their hands by attacking staff of electricity distribution companies.

“They may wish to be guided not to resort to legal proceedings as the first option in seeking redress, but to explore the commission’s redress mechanism to save litigation cost and time.”

Mainland residents may experience low power shedding today – Ikeja Disco

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Mainland residents under the Ikeja Electric distribution network may experience low power shedding today, December 28, 2016 as the disco company announced the amount of megawatts available for distribution.

 

According to Ikeja Electric in an announcement few minutes ago, the brand “received a total of 516 MW of electricity. We will judiciously distribute accordingly.”

 

Furthermore, while urging residents to be wary of power issues in their respective areas, Ikeja Electric urged residents to kindly report all cases of vandalization in their neighbourhoods.

 

The company also advised residents call these numbers: 01-4483900, 01-7000250 or 0700-022-5543 or email hse@ikejaelectric.com for prompt response to power issues.

Ikoyi, Victoria Island, others to experience power outage – Eko Disco

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The Management of Eko Electricity Distribution Plc, EKEDP, has announced that there will be an interruption in power supply to some areas within its network on December 29 for routine maintenance.

 

The company’s General Manager, Communication, Godwin Idemudia, made this announcement in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

 

Mr. Idemudia said that the power outage would occur between the hours of 10 a.m. in the morning and 2 p.m. in the afternoon.

 

He said that the planned power outage was occasioned by routine maintenance work to be carried out on Ijora-Alagbon 132kv line.

 

According to him, areas to be affected by the outage are Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Obalende, Banana Island and Lagos Island.

 

The EKEDC spokesman said that the routine maintenance to be carried out was for better efficiency of power facilities so as to enhance improved service delivery to the company’s customers.

 

He appealed to customers to bear with the company for the inconvenience the outage might cause, adding that power supply would be restored immediately the maintenance work was concluded.

Power – FG to generate 7000mw soon

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Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, on Sunday gave the assurance that the Federal Government would soon generate 7000 megawatts (MW) of power.

Akande said this when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja that government was working assiduously to step up power generation from 5000mw to 7000 mw.

He said that the country began to experience low electricity supply due to pipeline vandalism and the bombings in the Niger Delta region.

“When the administration came in as a matter of fact we were doing less than 300mw.

“So we were not doing 5000 mw when we came in; actually, we were the ones that took it to 5000 mw for the first time in the history of this country.

“In February, we took it to 5000 mw but unfortunately it was that same February that the bombing of the oil pipelines started, so it brought down the output.

“So, what is being done now is what is called incremental power to try to see how we can in different ways increase the output in power.

“So a lot of transmission facilities and infrastructure for power are being rejuvenated, trying to tap more from gas.

“So, you are going to be seeing more of gas-to-power, government is rejuvenating quite a number of them, ” he said.

He said that the Federal Government had signed Memorandum of Understanding with companies that would supply gas that would ultimately increase the output to 500 mw.

Akande said that by rejuvenating some of the transmission facilities and infrastructure government was doing what is called “incremental power”  in order to bring up the megawatt.

He said government would be carrying these processes in the geo-pollical zones of the country in order to provide constant and sustainable electricity to the people.

“We are doing what is called “incremental power ,” try and bring up the megawatt output, we believed that very soon we will be doing about 7000mw as power is critical to economic growth of country.

“Government is working, it is one of the areas we are working very diligently on a daily basis to sort out the problems,’’ he said.

He said that there were plans also by government to effect public, private partnership to ensure that Mambila project came on stream in power generation.

On the issues of idle power plants Akande explained that the truth was that “a lot of those plants, facilities are just there and not being utilized.

“The power plants are all disconnected and we are trying to fix them so that the plants will bring significant increment to the output.

“So, government is trying to see how this problem can be solved and we believed that there would be an improvement in power sector,’’ he said.

Eko Disco apologises to Lagos residents for prolonged blackout

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The management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company on Saturday apologised to customers for continuous shortage of electricity supply.

A statement by Godwin Idemudia, the company’s Head of Corporate Communications in Lagos, blamed the shortage on a drastic reduction in the amount of electricity coming to EKEDC from the national grid.

According to the statement, the company could only distribute what was allocated to it from the national grid.

“We are, therefore, appealing to all our customers to bear with us as we try to ration whatever power is given to us in the interim.

“EKEDC highly regrets any inconveniences caused by this prolonged blackout, though most of our consumers are affected by this outage but some areas are deeply affected.

“Areas deeply affected by the drop in generation are Ikoyi, Park View Estate, Victoria Island, Awolowo Road, Obalende, Idumagbo, Lagos Island, Oniru and Lekki areas,” the statement said.

The statement disclosed that the outage had led to vandalism of cables and transformers by unscrupulous elements.

It appealed to consumers within the network to be vigilant to stem the spate of cable theft and transformers vandalism.

“We also want to use this opportunity to appeal to our customers to be vigilant over our equipment as vandals may capitalise on the outage to carry out their evil act,” it stated.

Electricity Distribution Companies Lament Energy Theft

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Electricity distribution companies in the country have raised alarm over what it described as rampant energy theft among consumers, especially in rural communities.

The DISCOS also denied extortion in the electricity billing system, noting that consumers were billed based on what was read on the grid.

Representative of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) , Adeniyi David while speaking at the lunch of a new crime reporting and security-management system targeted at tracking and reporting criminal activities, noted that bypass of meters was still at an alarming rate in Nigeria.

“Billing is not based on what consumers are consuming. If you see anybody stealing power, know that he is the one causing the problem; energy theft is the problem. Bypassing of meter is still a problem in the country. If people are reporting the theft and vandalism, then the problem will be low,” he said.

Also, the CEO of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Ernest? Mpwaya, noted that the firm had to leverage on technology in order to deliver better services.

He assured that the company would integrate its in-house measure of responding to vandalism of its facilities with the new application, said survival and sustenance of the business was key.

Mpwaya said that the new initiative would provide the firm with additional capacity and visibility to be able to interact with the customers.

The initiative, which involves sending security reports and complaints through Hawk Eye Application, was also intended to reduce the high-level of vandalism of power as well as oil and gas facilities which had negatively impacted the power sector.

Speaking at the launch weekend in Abuja, the chief executive officer of Hawk Eye, Kayode Aladesuyi, disclosed that the free application could equally be used to report security threats and potential dangers in any part of the country.

He said that the firm which developed the application was undertaking the pilot phase of the roll-out with electricity distribution companies to curtail damages done to their facilities and help them improve on their service delivery.

He expressed sadness at the situation where about 150 persons were said to have been electrocuted in 2015, and said that residents can use the opportunity of the application to inform their neighbours of areas that posed risk for them.

According to him, the action of people stealing power can, as well, be reported through the new application.

Read More:

http://leadership.ng/business/562202/electricity-distribution-companies-lament-energy-theft

Nigeria’s power generation drops to 3,321 MW

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The nation’s power generation capacity has dropped from 4,285 megawatts recorded on September 16 to 3,321 megawatts on December 1 due to scarcity of gas, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

NAN quoted the figure provided by the Nigeria Electricity System Operator on Thursday.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) puts the total output of all the generation companies at 3,321.50 megawatts, which had been transferred to the 11 distribution companies across the country.

An official of TCN, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that electricity generation had been dwindling due to challenges of accessing gas by generation companies.

The official said that the country’s power generation dropped from over 4,000 megawatts recorded in September and October to 3,321.50 megawatts current recording as December 1.

Similarly, a top management official of Egbin Power Station, who also pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the power plant was generating over 1,000 megawatts.

He said the plant, which is located in Lagos, now generates and distributes between 250 megawatts and 300 megawatts due to shortage of gas.

The official said that Egbin, with an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts, has the capacity to wheel over 1,000 megawatts daily.

According to him, the plant is now limited to less than 300 megawatts due to shortage of gas.

Godwin Idemudia, General Manager, Communications of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc, attributed recent frequent outages within the company’s network to the drop in energy allocation to it.

Mr. Idemudia told NAN that the company was receiving less than 300 megawatts instead of 1,300 megawatts needed to service its consumers.

He said the company had reached an agreement with independent power companies to argument the little energy being received from the national grid to meet energy demands of its customers.

According to him, Eko DISCO secured additional 160 megawatts of electricity to augment its allocation from the national grid.

“We have entered into bilateral agreements with Egbin Power Plc and Paras Energy & Natural Resources Development Limited for 100 megawatts and 60 megawatts respectively.

“But the generation companies are constrained by gas challenges.

“We are also working on embedded power programme aimed at producing 480 megawatts for distribution to our customers,” Mr. Idemudia told NAN.

Electricity transformer vandal electrocuted

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A 35 years old man, identified as Jamilu Adamu, was on Tuesday electrocuted to death at Kawon Maigari, Hotoro Area in Kano, whilst trying to vandalise a fenced public transformer.

 

In a statement by KEDCO’s spokesperson, Mohammed Kandi, it said the deceased was found dead with some tools including sizes 17 and 20 ring and flat spanner in his possession.

 

Mr. Kandi also quoted the firm’s Head of Health Safety and Environment (HSE), Aminu Abubakar, as saying, “at the time the Police evacuated the corpse, one of the HV Bushings of the Transformer was loosened from the base, indicating the intention to vandalize the Transformer by removing the Bushings, and possibly the armoured cable, as well.”

 

According to Mr. Abubakar, “Judging by the whitish burn on his palm and a huge open gash on his left arm, it is highly likely that power was restored while he was operating, resulting in electric shock, and the ceramic insulator of the bushing shattering to cause the wound on his arm.”

 

However, a witness account disclosed that the deceased was seen loitering around the substation area three days earlier, saying “when he was approached, he told residents that he was there to visit his relative.”

Northern governors, General Electric sign MOU for 5 power plants

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The Northern States Governors’ Forum and the General Electric ?International, on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding, MOU, for the construction of five solar plants some parts of Northern Nigeria.

The plants are expected to generate 500 megawatts of electricity.

Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, and Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, signed the agreement on behalf of the ?Governors, while General Electric’s Senior Executive, Western Europe and Africa, Armand Pineda, and the President/Chief Executive Officer, ?General Electric, Nigeria, Lazarus Angbazo, signed on behalf of their company in a brief ceremony which held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

Based on the MOU, the General Electric, which has 120 years experience in power generation, is to build five solar power plants to be located in Borno, Kebbi, Nassarawa, Niger and Taraba States.

Each of the plants is expected to generate 100 megawatts of electricity totaling 500 megawatts across the 5 States.

The electricity is meant to stimulate economic activities and social services in the affected States through boosting agricultural food processing, small scale businesses in addition to supplying electricity to schools and hospitals.

“The 19 Governors of the north jointly created this approach. We want to go beyond lamentation to provide solutions and we all know that power is key to industrial development.

“With power, we can create jobs, stimulate our economies and make life better for our people. The General Electric has over 120 years experience in energy solutions and they have been operating in Nigeria for over 50 years, we cannot have a better partner than GE.

“We shall do our part as Governors, this I will assure you. We are deeply committed to this agreement” Mr. Shettima said at the MOU signing ceremony.

The Northern Governors Chairman enumerated challenges of poverty, unemployment, and poor access to education, poor healthcare amongst other underdevelopment indications threatening the north.

He said power could provide a vehicle for the north to reposition itself for a better future.

The Northern Nigeria Global Economic Re-integration Programme, newly created by the Northern States Governors, is coordinating the project, which is a pilot phase.

According to a release by the spokesperson of the Borno Governor, Isa Gusau, the programme aims to serve as vehicle for the economic recovery of northern States through international relations on infrastructure, manufacturing, as well as to stimulate agricultural value chain and trade.

It also aims at making the region a global player in agricultural export in line with the vision of the late Premier of the Region, Ahmadu Bello.

The release also said the Governors Forum engaged the services of Tanimu Kurfi as Chief Executive Officer of the Programme.

Mr. Kurfi was the Chief Economic Adviser to late President Umaru Yar’adua and he has wide contact with leading development companies and financial institutions across the world.

Mr. Kurfi said he took up the challenge ?put forward by the Northern Governors as a result of the strong passion and commitment to the aggressive development of the north so far shown by the Northern Governors since Mr. Shettima became the forum’s chairman in 2015.

Reaffirming their commitment to the MOU, General Electric’s Senior Executive, Western Europe and Africa, Mr. Pineda and the President/Chief Executive Officer, ?General Electric, Nigeria, Dr. Angbazo both pledged that they would work round the clock to realize the project for the benefits of citizens of the five States.

Probe Obasanjo’s $16b Spending On Electricity, SERAP tells CJN

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Anti-corruption organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has asked Justice Water Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), to appoint an independent counsel to investigate alleged corruption in the spending of $16 billion on power projects between 1999 and 2007 by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

 

SERAP’s request was contained in a letter addressed to the CJN. Dated 24 November and signed by Mr. Timothy Olawale, the organisation’s Senior Staff Counsel, the letter explained that the request was based on Section 52 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 as well as the letter and spirit of the Act, and the object and purpose of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

 

SERAP recalled that a parliamentary hearing by the House of Representatives into the spending of $16 billion on the power project between 1999 and 2007 revealed, through testimonies of witnesses, that the amount budgeted for the power project may have been stolen by some government officials and others and cannot be accounted for.

 

It pointed out that the parliamentary hearing, which took place between March 11 and 12 March, 2008, revealed that Mr. Bernerd Mensen, the Chief Executive Officer of German firm, Lameyer, was paid N370 million (out of the total contract sum of N600million) just for a feasibility study on a power station. Mr. Mensen, SERAP recalled, however, confessed that he had never visited the site of the Mambilla Hydro-Electric Power Project in Taraba State.

 

Similarly recalled was the revelation that N200million of the N370million collected was spent to build a bungalow at Gembu, apparently to create the impression that work was in progress, but the project was later abandoned.

 

A witness, who testified at the hearing, recollected SERAP, said that the ground-breaking was done at Gembu, about 25kilometers from the Mambilla, and that they never got to the Mambilla. He also disclosed that the sample of oil Lameyer collected for test was dumped at somebody’s compound that the company did nothing to implement the project, which was expected to generate 2,600 megawatts of electricity.

 

The investigative committee, SERAP reminded the CJN, was equally told that the contracts awarded for the Kainji, Egbin, Afam and Ugehlli power stations were never executed despite being included by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in its report to the hearing on how it spent its budgetary allocations between 1999 and 2007.  The hearing also revealed that there were about nine of such contracts, with an aggregate value of $142million.

 

“Section 52 of the Corrupt Practices Act requires the Chief Justice of Nigeria to authorise an independent counsel to investigate any allegation of corruption against high-level public officials at the federal or state level-and to report his findings to the National Assembly or appropriate house of assembly,” SERAP stated in the letter.

 

It expressed the belief that the findings by the parliamentary hearing provide sufficient ground for the CJN’s intervention in the matter.

 

“We therefore urge you to interpret this provision robustly and flexibly in the light of the unique role of the judiciary in the efforts to prevent and combat corruption and its destructive effects on the society.

 

“We believe your urgent intervention will contribute to improving the integrity of government and public confidence and trust in their government. It would also serve as a vehicle to further the public’s perception of fairness and thoroughness, and to avert even the most subtle of influences that may appear in an investigation of highly-placed executive officials,” the organisation said.

 

SERAP advised the CJN to be guided by the overall public interest of the right to uninterrupted power supply and the spirit and letter of the constitution, not by technicalities of ICPC Act.

 

“In particular, Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution dealing with Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, high-level public officials have a clear obligation to eradicate all corrupt practices and abuse of power,” it further stated.

 

SERAP observed that inadequate electricity supply has compelled many Nigerians to use contaminated surface water for drinking and robbed them of the ability to boil, purify, disinfect and store water. It further argued that the situation has affected Nigerians’ ability use irrigation to boost agricultural productivity, thereby limiting food supplies and shrinking employment opportunities.

 

The organisation also pointed out that the constitution prohibits the exploitation of the country’s human and natural resources for any reasons other than collective interest, a position that it said is backed by the provisions of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.

 

“In exercising your statutory and constitutional responsibilities, we urge you to work very closely with both the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC),” SERAP counselled.

 

The organisation equally noted that successive governments have failed to tell the public that the $16 billion expenditure on power supply amounts to failure.

 

It added that corruption in the energy sector have resulted in the epileptic power supply and corresponding deprivation and denial of access to quality healthcare, adequate food, shelter, clothing, water, sanitation, medical care, schooling and access to information.

330KV Ikot Ekpene station will boost electricity supply – Fashola

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Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has stated that the Ikot Ekpene 330KV power switching station in Akwa Ibom State would boost electricity supply in the country.

 

The minister who inaugurated the station yesterday at Ikot Inyang village in Ikot Ekpene local government area of Akwa Ibom State said that the station was expected to evacuate electricity from power plants in Alaoji, Afam, Calabar and Ikot Abasi and route same to Ugwuaji in Enugu up to Jos.

The development he said would solve the problem of stranded power as the generating plants would have their power evacuated with ease.

 

Fashola explained that though the project was faced with numerous challenges but for the intervention of the National Assembly, which resolved the contending issues for the completion of the project.

 

The Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, said the event marked significant turning point in the march toward new dawn in both power infrastructural renaissance and industrial revolution.

Power: Gov Emmanuel urges FG to invest in infrastructure.

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Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has called on the Federal Government to speed up the development of infrastructure that would facilitate the distribution of electricity in the country.

 

Governor Emmanuel made the call when the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, called on him at Government House, Uyo.

 

He pointed out that the Ibom Independent Power Plant has generated enough power and is awaiting evacuation by the Distribution companies.

 

Governor Emmanuel expressed delight at the assurances by the Minister that the Federal Government was working out modalities for reimbursement of funds expended on federal assets, saying that his administration would use the funds judiciously in the development of infrastructures.

 

The Governor particularly lauded the Minister’s commitment to ensuring that the various electricity sub-stations are not only completed but energised.

 

Speaking earlier, Mr. Fashola, said his visit to the state was aimed at working out ways for the completion of the power distribution sub-station at Ikot Ekpene and Itu Local Government Areas.

 

Mr. Fashola assured that the power sector has been repositioned to enhance steady supply of electricity in the country.

He used the occasion to commend Akwa Ibom State Government for its investment in the power generation plant and intervention in the rehabilitation of federal roads assuring that efforts have been put in place for the reimbursement of the funds expended by the state on federal assets.

Arepo community protests persistent blackout, crazy bills.

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Members of the Arepo Residents Development Association including those from the Journalists Estate, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest at the Ikeja Distribution Electricity Company, IKEDC’s Head Office, at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, over crazy estimated bills and perpectual blackout in the community.

The protesters, who stormed the head office as early as 8 am, called for the intervention of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola.

They barricaded the entrance of the company’s for several hours; displaying placards with varying inscriptions, such as: “We Say No Billing Without Light”, “Fashola Must Sack, IKDC”, Restore our Light” among others.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Chairman of the Journalists Estate Residents Development Association, Mr. Nosiru Salau said the entire Arepo Community has been without light for months, adding that despite IKEDC’s gross inefficiency, they were fond of bringing overestimated bills.

According to him: “Arepo and its environs have been without light for months. We bought a new transformer but IKEDC refused to energize it because they insisted we have to bring money for some accessories.

“They are used to bringing estimated bills in which we are overbilled. We have paid for prepaid metres for close to three years now, and they have not brought the metres.

‘’That is why we are staging this protest to drive home the point that we cannot continue to be in darkness.

”We are calling on the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola to intervene.”

Salau vowed that the protest would continue until the management of IKEDC does the needful as soon as possible, even as he said further steps would be taken if their demands are not attended to by relevant authorities.

Also speaking, Secretary to Arepo Residents Association, Mr. Friday Irabor, said IKEDC has refused to supply electricity to the estates in the area until every month ending when it will supply power for an hour to justify estimated bill of up to N36,000 per residence.

“We call on IKEDC to buckle up otherwise the estates will mobilise millions of residents for another protest,” he said.

Nigerians Should Not Expect Improved Power In Next Five Years, Electricity Boss Says

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The Managing Director of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Olufunke Osibodu, has urged Nigerians not to expect any improvement in the power sector in the next five years.

Speaking at the 11th Annual Founder’s Day event of the American University of Nigeria in Yola, Saturday, Mrs. Osibodu said at least N250 billion is required annually to fix the country’s electricity sector.

“And we Nigerians need to understand that we cannot do it overnight, and in addition we have to pay for it,” said Mrs. Osibodu, while delivering the keynote speech titled ‘Beyond Oil: Sustainable Development for All Nigerians.’.

“We need to be ready as citizens also, to accept and live with the pain that we have to go through, and allow time as our friends.

“As Nigerians, often we are the ones that deceive our politicians. The politicians believe that the only way to go is to promise everything immediately possible. Promise that everything is possible today so that they can get elected. But when you see that it is not, so we want to give them time and use time as our friends.

“It is the same story for the power industry. When I tell my friends, that forget any improvement for the next five years, they are scared, but that is the truth. We need minimum of five years to invest before we see results.

“But very often, because Nigerians are impatient, we start pushing our governments and they start reversing good things they have done in various ways. So we need to be more patient.”

Mrs. Osibodu’s statements came despite the claim earlier in the year by Babatunde Fashola, the minister of Power, Works, and Housing, that the country would attain 10,000 megawatts electricity generation by 2019.

Apart of challenges of generation, Nigeria also has problems of transmission and distribution of the generated electricity.

According to Mrs. Osibodu, Nigeria is currently producing two percent of the total electricity it requires.

“In addition, in this country we have 32 million household population. In other words, 32 million houses by statistics. But on the national grid, only four million are officially customers of the various distribution companies.

“About 36 per cent of the power generation is lost either through commercial theft, illegal consumption, or non-payment of bills. But 14 per cent of that power is also lost through very poor network.

“In other words, the two percent that we have is even further played down. About 30 percent of the power, we all waste it, by forgetting to put out the light, many things that should not be turned on, and we pay for that wastage.”

Improvement in power will take at least 5 years – Electricity Distribution Boss.

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If you harboured any thoughts on getting improved electricity any time soon, then sorry to burst your bubble because it’s not going to happen.

This is according to the Managing Director of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Olufunke Osibodu.

Osibodu who spoke at the 11th Annual Founder’s Day event of the American University of Nigeria in Yola, on Saturday, said it would take at least five years to see any improvement and at least N250 billion is required annually to fix the country’s electricity sector.

“And we Nigerians need to understand that we cannot do it overnight, and in addition we have to pay for it,” said Mrs. Osibodu, while delivering the keynote speech titled ‘Beyond Oil: Sustainable Development for All Nigerians.’.

“We need to be ready as citizens also, to accept and live with the pain that we have to go through, and allow time as our friends.

“As Nigerians, often we are the ones that deceive our politicians. The politicians believe that the only way to go is to promise everything immediately possible. Promise that everything is possible today so that they can get elected. But when you see that it is not, so we want to give them time and use time as our friends.

“It is the same story for the power industry. When I tell my friends, that forget any improvement for the next five years, they are scared, but that is the truth. We need minimum of five years to invest before we see results.

“But very often, because Nigerians are impatient, we start pushing our governments and they start reversing good things they have done in various ways. So we need to be more patient.”

AfDB guarantees $12bn investment in electricity in next 5 years.

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The 8th President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has explained that AfDB would invest $12bn over the next five years in support of accelerated electricity supply in Africa and would leverage between $45 to $50m from the private sector.

 

He disclosed this at the Africa Day in Marrakech, Morocco on the side-line of COP22, organized by African Union (AU) in collaboration with Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with the theme, “Moving from Commitment to Action with the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) and the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI).”

 

According to him, “The reason Africa export raw and unprocessed materials is due to lack of electricity which has pushed Africa down to the bottom of global value chains but Africans must power up itself to add value to what it produces, speeding up industrialization and moving to the top of global value chains.

 

This he said must start by unlocking the huge potentials of energy on the continent including Africa’s vast potentials in renewable energy as well as non- renewable energy saying there is a need for Africa to develop a balanced energy means that would allow it to industrialize.

 

He noted that lack of electricity drives down Africa’s growth and development saying that Africa had continued to export raw materials for decades that are subject to global community price shocks.

 

“The bank will work with the African Union and other partners to fast-track the Africa ‘we want’ which must be on Africa, where we will have universal access to electricity within 10 years.

 

He confirmed that AfDB is highly supportive of Africa’s renewable energy initiative that would unlock Africa’s renewable energy potential to deliver 10 Giga-watts of electricity by 2020 and 300 Giga-watts by 2030.

 

Adesina stressed that the bank is rapidly building up its institutional capacity to deliver the N-Power African Agenda for Africa adding that African Union approved the Africa Renewable energy initiative.

 

To drive the action, he noted that the bank appointed a new Vice president for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, Amadou Hott, thereby making the bank the first multilateral development bank to attain the height.

 

He noted that grid, mini-grid and off-grid systems would play a major role in Africa’s industrialization process.

Ibrahim begins campaign, pledges to restore electricity supply.

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Factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jimoh Ibrahim, has promised to restore electricity supply in the south senatorial district of the state.

Ibrahim made the promise when he started his campaign in Okitipupa Local Council area on Wednesday.The candidate said he would ensure that the areas were connected to regular electricity supply within his first three months in office.

He condemned the “I don’t care” attitude of the outgoing administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko to the protracted outage in the area.

According to him, the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) had cut off towns like Oke-Igbo, Ore, Odigbo, Okitipupa, Irele, Ode-Aye, Ajapa, Akotogbo, Igbokoda, Igbotako from the national grid.

At the palace of the Jegun of Idepe-Okitipupa, Micheal Adetoye, he promised to reintroduce the boarding system to government-controlled secondary schools across the state.

He explained that only such a system could restore the lost glory and high educational standards enjoyed by students in the past.“The boarding system was what sharpened and built our educational and moral standards as students in those days, which had continued to be our guide and approach to life, both in business and political participation.

“The issue of electricity is very embarrassing and shameful. The last time I checked with the BEDC, the company said the senatorial district owed a backlog of unpaid bills of about N300 million, which made it to cut off its electricity supply.”

Ibrahim, who hails from Igbotako in Okitipupa Local Council area, said he deliberately started his campaign in Okitipupa to reawaken the consciousness of his people in Ikale land towards electing another of their own sons as the next governor of the state.

He assured the civil servants that the payment of salaries, allowances, pensions and gratuities would be the priority of his government.

Ibrahim was accompanied on the campaign by his running mate, Ebenezer Alabi, the party’s state chairman, Biyi Poroye and two former Senators from the area, Omololu Meroyi and Hosea Ehinlanwo, among others.

Governor El-Rufai to distribute 20,000 free prepaid electricity meters.

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Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State would flag-off the distribution of 20,000 electricity prepaid metres for customers in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the company’s Head, Corporate Communication, Mr Abdulazeez Abdullahi, and made available on Monday in Kaduna.

Abdullahi said the metres are part of the 50,000 the Kaduna Electric metres earmarked for distribution in its franchise states of Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi.

“After the successful flag-off of the mass deployment of 50,000 prepaid smart metres in its franchise states at a ceremony in Sokoto in October, Kaduna Electric is set to launch the deployment of the metres in Kaduna state.

“The Kaduna Launch, which is expected to be flagged off by State Governor, Malam Nasiru El-Rufa’I, is scheduled for Wednesday.’’

“The company is expecting the delivery of more metres before year end which shall also be deployed to its teeming customers in Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi, its franchise states,’’ the spokesman said.

He urged customers to embrace the installation of the metres in their homes as it is a better way of accurately reading the amount of energy consumed by them.

According to him, customers will be sure to pay for what they consume.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, flagged off the mass metre deployment in October in Sokoto.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the company, Mr Garba Haruna, has assured of the company’s commitment to metering its customers through a five-year metering plan.

No Plan To Raise Electricity Tariffs- Discos

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Dousing mounting concerns over another hike in electricity tariffs, the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) Wednesday said it had no plan to increase the current tariffs being paid by consumers.

ANED’s Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Mr. Sunday Oduntan, disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said the electricity distribution companies (Discos) had not submitted any proposal to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on a tariff increase.

“It is not true that we want to the increase tariff by 200 per cent because we do not have any right to do so.

“When you talk about tariff review or increase, it is the responsibility of a regulator and that work belongs to NERC.

“We should understand how the system works because it is the work of the regulator to decide whether there should be tariff review or not and not Discos,” said the ANED official.

He urged the National Assembly to reconsider the stoppage of the bond provided by government to address the liquidity challenge bedeviling the power sector.

“We are not asking for subsidy but that government should step in and provide a bond,” he said.

Oduntan said that the business of electricity distribution was currently not bankable because no bank would lend the Discos money with the huge deficits on their books.

Read More: thisdaylive

Fashola Flags Off Distribution Of Free Pre-Paid Meters In Sokoto [Pictures]

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Sokoto state Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was joined by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, to flag off distribution of free pre-paid meter in Sokoto. The Minister also inspected ongoing works at the site of the Sokoto Independent Power Project (IPP).

Nigeria electricity challenge man-made – Fashola

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Former governor of Lagos State and Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, said, yesterday, that Nigeria’s electricity problem is man-made.

Fashola, who spoke at the maiden edition of Made in Nigeria Festival taking place at Eko Atlantic, Lagos, said his blueprint for the power sector is in three phases: power-generation, steady supply of power and uninterrupted power supply.

He has also pledged to ensure the power sector works to the point where Nigeria has uninterrupted power supply.

Speaking on man-made challenges, Fashola recalled a challenge with a project and it took only a phone call to Globacomn Chairman, Otunba Mike Adenuga to resolve the matter.

“We had an issue some time ago, during an electrification project. We got to this expanse of land and we were told that the land where we needed to lay electricity cable belongs to ‘the spirit.’ Indigenes of that area scared the contractors away by invoking curse on the project. I was briefed about this and we started negotiation with them. You won’t believe this but, by the time we finished the negotiation, the ‘spirits’ collected money and we were able to continue with our project. Another instance was where we had a telecommunication mast obstructing electrification of a village. The former regime and the telecommunication company were exchanging letters. All I did was call Adenuga and the mast was removed in a week…”

Speaking further, Fashola said since 1960, Nigeria generated 5,074 mega watt of power for the first time in February 2016.

“We have never generated up to 5,000 mega watt of power since 1960, but we generated 5,074 mega watts of power in February, 2016 and this was made possible because we have began systematic repair of our power-generating equipments which is in the phase one of our developmental plans’.

Fashola disclosed that he and his team has a developmental plan consisting of power generation which is focused on maximising all available power-generating components by repairing them. The second phase is steady supply of power while the third phase is uninterrupted power supply…”

The minister was speaking as a member of panel consisting of Mrs Adeola Sumola of Bello Osagie & Associates, Ms. Chantel Abdul MD/CEO Mojek International and Mr. Mofid Karameh Chairman Mikano Group. Dr. Ogho Okiti, publisher of Economics Times, Abuja was the Moderator.

Fashola reiterated government’s resolve to get electricity to the rural areas by engaging universities located in rural areas.

’We are deepening rural electricity, we are using universities as anchors for these rural areas. These universities are located in the rural areas. In the universities where we are carrying out this rural electrification programmes, we are challenging the students in Electrical Engineering Departments to develop a power plan to add to what we have on ground already before they graduate from that university’’.

Mrs Ibukun Awosika Chairman of First Bank PLC spoke at the second session on the topic ‘’ Empowering the Made-in-Nigeria Economy: Private Sector’s role in Infrastructural Revival in Nigeria. She went on to say ‘’Building infrastructure is how well you can achieve the goals you set for yourself’’.

We have two kinds of infrastructure- the Hard Infrastructure which are the roads, transportation, e.t.c and Economic Infrastructure. We need to develop several infrastructures around’’

‘’I noticed that most of the bags our children use in this country comes from abroad. I just said to myself, a textile company can just develop these bags and our economy will be better for it, this will count as infrastructural development. We need to create infrastructure support for industries in our economy’’ Mrs. Awosika opined.

The Made in Nigeria Festival comprises a 3-day Summit, an exhibition, a technology exposition and a daily showcase of Nigeria’s finest foods and flavours, movies, fashion, music and art. Over 5,000 Nigerians have already signed up to be part of this year’s festival.

The grand finale of the festival is a special celebration of Nigeria’s independence comprising a phenomenal showcase of music artistry that would also take place at Eko Atlantic City.

The Made In Nigeria Festival is being organized by the MaIN Group, a collaboration of private sector organisations. Board of Advisors of the initiative include: Prince Adesegun Oniru, Mr. Aliko Dangote, Dr. (Mrs.) Stella Okoli, Mr. Ronald Chagoury, and Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Government Bans Purchase Of Transformers By Electricity Consumers

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The Federal Government has outlawed the procurement of transformers by electricity consumers, maintaining that it remains the duty of distribution companies (Discos).

It also charged operators in the nation’s power sector to improve investments in order to upgrade their networks.

The government equally expressed readiness to offset the electricity bills owed by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) put at N97 billion by the Discos.The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who made the disclosures during a meeting with officials of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (ANED), however, noted that a careful verification of the debts was being carried out to ascertain the exact amount, considering that the sum stretches to several years.

He welcomed any information that could expedite the exercise.

He said: “You must continue to make distribution asset investments. Private purchase of transformers should stop. That is the responsibility of the distribution companies. We still have cases of people buying transformers themselves. This should not be the case.”

Fashola charged the operators to improve customer relationship as well as close the metering gap and educate consumers on energy conservation.

“Since the distribution companies are now owned by private enterprises, you need to make it easy for people to reach you. Let us all understand that the problems we have are not technical. They are manmade,” he noted.

Read More:

http://guardian.ng/news/government-bans-purchase-of-transformers-by-electricity-consumers/

Kano DISCO losses N108.8m to vandalism

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The Kano Electricity Distribution Company said it had lost transformer oil, aluminium conductors, upriser cables and other valuables worth N108.8 million to activities of vandals in three states, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa, from August to date.

 

This is contained in statement signed by the company’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Mohammed Kandi, and issued to newsmen in Kano on Thursday.

 

According to Kandi, the spate of vandalism, energy theft and meter bypass had recently risen extremely in the company’s areas of operation and was becoming unbearable.

 

“The appalling development has caused the company huge losses and setbacks within a period of six weeks,” he said.

 

He called on customers of the company, “who bear the brunt” to watch over the installations in their areas and report to the appropriate security agencies any suspicious move for action.

The spokesman quoted KEDCO’s Chief Technical Officer, David Omoloye, as saying “the quantity of vandalised materials include: 46.5 drums of transformer oil, 2, 130 aluminium conductors (150mm2), 4, 500 aluminium conductors (100mm2), 535 and 15 (150mm2&70mm2)”.

 

Other materials, the CTO said, are: “825 XLPE Cable (35mm2), 529 (500mm2) &161 (300mm2) Incomer Cables and 40 Busbar”.

 

Omoloye said that the nefarious acts took place in Sabon Gari, Sharada, Tudun Wada, Dala, Dakata, Dutse, Funtua, Hadejia, Kabuga, Katsina, Kumbotso, Malumfashi, Mariri and Nasarawa.

 

“I am appealing to all our esteemed customers in Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states to watch over our installations as their own because when the damage is done they suffer weeks of blackout,”he said.

Nigeria’s Demand For Electricity To Hit 88,282MW By 2020

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Nigeria requires about 88,282 Mega Watts (MW) of electricity to meet the demand of its fast growing economy by 2020, Managing Director of Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Oladele Amoda, has said.
Amoda,who  disclosed this  at a forum in Lagos, urged the nation to adopt alternative  energy sources to meet its energy requirement in the long run.

He said: “ With an estimated yearly economic growth rate of between 7 and 13 percent, as well as an urbanization rate of 3.8 percent, Nigeria’s electricity demand is projected to grow from 15,730 MW in 2016 to 41,133MW by 2018 and 88,282MW by 2020”
Amoda noted that Nigeria is endowed with fossil fuel  and other renewable energy sources, but the energy situation is not efficiently managed to ensure energy sustainability and development.
He said: “the commitment of the government towards utilizing alternative energy sources can be appreciated as we see more projects being implemented  using solar and other renewable options like bio-mass and wind”
He emphasized the need  for  the country adopt energy demand side management which has the capacity to drive energy efficiency and conservation,adding that huge benefit attached to demand side management remains untapped by Nigeria due to mainly lack of awareness.

Credit: DailyTrust

NERC Urges Electricity Distribution Companies To Provide Consumers With Prepaid Meters

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has called on electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to “meter’’ consumers, who have paid for various types of meters since November 2013.

The Acting Chairman of NERC, Dr Anthony Akah, made the call in Abuja on Tuesday at a meeting with representatives of distribution companies.

Cue in audio

“Before we conclude our investigation we want to use this opportunity to ask any distribution company that has collected money from any consumer since November 2013 for meter and has not metered him that it is a criminal offence.

“You can’t hold the consumers’ money.

“Between this time and the time we are verifying, find a way to go and meter these consumers, because the kind of complaints we get on our table every day is as huge as this.’’

Cue out audio

According to Akah, it is the responsibility of the distribution companies to provide meters to consumers in line with the tariff model all over the world,.

He said Nigerian electricity consumers were desirous of constant electricity supply in the country.

“Nigerian consumers certainly need 24 hours light that is the most important thing they want to hear.’’

He said the commission’s engagement with the consumers showed that they were dissatisfied with estimated billing rates, noting that they desired an end to unfair estimation.

He said the greatest challenge facing the commission as a regulator was metering, noting that efforts were on to mitigate the challenge.

“We must protect the consumers; there is no going back on our resolve to step up our monitoring mechanism to stop unfair billing of Nigerian consumers. It is grossly unfair.’’

He said that NERC had written to the distribution companies requesting for clear information on the consumers metered over the years.

Credit: NAN

Firm Plans 500,000 Jobs, 50 Megawatts Of Electricity

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A foremost international solar energy company, Asteven Solar Nigeria, has promised to create 500, 000 direct jobs by accelerating access to affordable power solutions to old and existing small and medium scale enterprises across the country through specially designed channels.

The company’s managing director and chief executive officer, Dr Sunny Akpoyibo, while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan on the sidelines of the Nigeria Energy Forum 2016, said the company had concluded arrangements to generate for Nigeria, a total of 50 megawatts of electricity through solar energy over the next two years.

He explained that portable solar systems of different capacities would supply power needs to existing SMEs.

Credit: Leadership

Electricity: How Nigeria Experienced Zero Megawatt

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The nationwide power crisis being experienced in the country worsened, on Thursday, with a total system collapse at exactly 12.58p.m. On the systems collapse, the nation got to Ground Zero, with all the Discos receiving zero megawatts allocation from the system operator, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.

The nation had experienced drastic reduction in power supply through the national grid in recent time, with generation standing at 2,243.20mw, which the Federal Government blamed on vandals.

It was observed that before the systems collapse, allocation to Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, earlier in the day stood at 257.97mw. The cause of the systems collapse is yet to be established at the time of filing the story as efforts to get officials of TCN to respond to the development proved abortive.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, reassured Nigerians that the 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation target set by the administration would be attained by the end of 2019.

Credit: Vanguard

Buhari Assures Of Additional 10,000 Megawatts In Next Three Years

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President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday that his administration would ensure steady power supply before the expiration of his tenure through the provision of additional 10,000 megawatts.

 

The President gave the assurance at the National Economic Council Retreat holding at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Abuja.

 

According to him, 2,000 of the anticipated10,000 megawatts will be added to the national grid in 2016.

 

“Nigerians’ favourite talking point and butt of jokes is the power situation in our country. But, it is no longer a laughing matter.

“We must and by the grace of God we will put things right.

“In the three years left for this administration we have given ourselves the target of 10,000 megawatts distributable power.

“In 2016 alone, we intend to add 2,000 megawatts to the national grid.

“In our determination to change we must and will, Insha Allah, put a stop to power shortages.’’

 

The President, who stated that the nation was facing the classic dilemma of privatisation of the power sector, noted that no remarkable improvement in the quality of service had been recorded after the exercise.

 

He, however, stated that the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) must ensure that consumers get value for money and over-all public interest is safe-guarded as government will complete the process of the privatisation.

 

Buhari further gave assurance that government will hasten the completion of pipelines from gas points to power stations.

 

He said that more security to protect gas and oil pipelines would be provided while power companies should be encouraged to replace obsolete equipment and improve the quality of service and technicians.

 

He maintained that the companies must also address the problem of high electricity bills in spite constant power cuts.

On the manufacturing sub-sector, President Buhari expressed regret over the inability of some industries in the country to obtain foreign exchange to import raw materials and spare parts.

 

“Painful though this is, I believe it is a temporary phase which we shall try to overcome but there are deeper, more structural problems bedevilling local industries which this retreat should identify short and long-term answers to’’.

President Buhari, who also spoke on current state of the nation’s agriculture, noted that for too long government policies on agriculture had been “half-hearted, suffering from inconsistencies and discontinuities.”

He, therefore, stressed the need for urgent government action to ensure self-sufficiency in food production.

 

According to him, the nation’s real wealth lies in farming, livestock, hatcheries, fishery, horticulture and forestry.

The President directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to convene early meeting of stakeholders and identify problems facing the agricultural sector with a view to addressing them.

 

He also urged the media to enlighten the public on government’s efforts towards increasing local food production so as to bring down food prices in the markets.

 

President Buhari called on state governments and commercial banks to provide more incentives to small holder and medium scale farmers to boost agricultural activities.

 

“Banks should be leaned upon to substantially increase their lending to the agricultural sector.

“Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should bear part of the risk of such loans as a matter of national policy.

“States should increase their financial support through community groups.

“The appropriate approach should be through leaders of community groups such as farmers’ cooperatives.

“Provision of feeder roads by state governments to enable more effective evacuation of produce to markets and processing factories.’’

 

He recalled the 1950s, when Nigeria’s foreign exchange earners were from the export of groundnuts, cotton, cocoa, palm kernel, rubber and all agro/forest resources.

He further stated that regional banks and development corporations in all the three regions were financed from farm surpluses.

 

“When I was a schoolboy in the 1950’s the country produced one million tons of groundnuts in two successive years.

“The country’s main foreign exchange earners were groundnuts, cotton, cocoa, palm kernels, rubber and all agro/forest resources.

“Regional banks and development corporations in all the three regions were financed from farm surpluses.

“In other words, our capital formation rode on the backs of our farmers.

“Why was farming so successful 60 years ago? The answers are simple:

“Access to small scale credits, inputs (fertilizers, herbicides etc)

“Now we have better tools, better agricultural science and technology, and greater ability to process.

“With determination we can succeed.’’

 

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, expressed displeasure at the drastic fall in income from the Federal Accounts Allocation.

 

He, however, stressed the need for the country’s natural resources to be harnessed to address the current economic challenges.

Yari expressed hope that the retreat will come up with practical solutions aimed at growing the nation’s economy.

 

All the governors except Rivers, Benue and Lagos states (represented by their respective deputies) attended the opening of the two-day retreat being presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

 

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, and the Minister of Budget and Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma were among other top government functionaries in attendance.

 

(NAN)

Senate Condemns “Ultra-Wicked” Electricity Tariff Hike, Demands Reversal

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The Nigerian Senate has asked the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and electricity distribution companies to immediately suspend the new electricity tariffs that has seen charges raised by over 40 per cent.

The Senate gave the order Tuesday, following a motion sponsored by Suleiman Nafiz (APC-Bauchi North).

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, described the tariff raise as “ultra-wicked and unconscionable”.

Despite Nigeria’s dismal electricity output, the federal government implemented the new tariff regime on February 1, sparking widespread criticisms and nationwide street protests by the organised Labour.

But the Minister for Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the measure was a “bitter pill” Nigerians must swallow to enjoy optimal service delivery in the power sector.

Mr. Nafiz asked the Senate to probe how funds allocated to electricity companies were spent.

In his contribution, Dino Melaye, (APC-Kogi west) noted that the latest increase in electricity tariff was the fourth since the privatisation of power.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Japan Grants Nigeria $11m For Electricity Upgrade

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Government of Japan has extended the aid of JPY 1.317 billion (about $11 million) to the Federal Government of Nigeria for emergency improvement of electricity supply facilities in Abuja. At yesterday’s grant signing ceremony at the headquarters of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Abuja, Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Sadanobu Kusaoke, said the project was targeted at assisting Nigeria’s economic development by helping to attract more investments by improving the power sector. Kusaoke explained that the grant was to be used in the upgrade of two substations in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State. “We aim to prevent voltage drop, reduce power loss and stabilize power supply to approximately 7,000 households in Abuja.

The project will make Abuja more attractive for investors as well as residents,” the ambassador said. He stated further, “Power sector has long been one of the priority areas in Japan’s development cooperation in Nigeria. As early as the 1970’s, Japan helped finance the strengthening of the capacity of Kainji Hydro Power station. “Japan also partnered Nigeria to electrify rural areas mainly in the North. In future, more ambitious power sector projects will follow.” The Japanese Ambassador further disclosed that at the Fifth Tokyo International conference on African Development, TICAD V, in 2013, the Japanese government declared its commitment to promoting inclusive growth in Africa through support to the power sector, adding that the current $11 million power project embodies the spirit of that 2013 declaration.

Responding, Minister of Budget and National Planning Senator, Udo Udoma, while appreciating the Japanese government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, for the grant, reiterated the federal government’s readiness to ensure effective management and sustainability of the project through the power ministry. Revealing more details about the project, Udoma stated: “The project aims to install capacitor banks in Apo and Keffi substations in FCT and Nassarawa State respectively, adding that “it will contribute to stable power supply, decrease transmission loss and improve system reliability.”

Credit: NationalMirror

Improve Power Supply, Not Tariffs – Union Tells FG

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The National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria on Sunday said the Federal Government must ensure steady power supply before increasing electricity tariffs.

 

A statement issued in Kaduna by the Secretary General of the Union, Issa Aremu, said the group support the planned picketing of electricity distribution companies by the organised labour.

 

“We hereby declare our total support for the planned picketing by labour and civil society allies of all offices of the electricity distribution companies (DisCos) nationwide, including Abuja, on Monday Feb. 8, to protest the unilateral and unlawful hike of electricity tariffs.

`We commend Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leadership for this mass action for improved power supply instead of incessant non-service charges.”

 

Aremu advised President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently revisit the report of the 2014 National Conference and implement the holistic recommendations for the power sector.

He said that the Federal Government should not allow the increase in tariff “by the underperforming generating and distribution companies.”

“The point cannot be overstated; Power/Energy is so strategic to the industrialisation and the wellbeing of the people,’’ the former Vice President of the NLC said.

 

He also appealed to the federal government to urgently review the privatisation contracts with the electricity Generation Companies (GenCos) and DisCos.

 

Aremu said the firms should be given a two- year time-frame “to allow them stabilise and provide efficient power supply to Nigerians before they can contemplate any tariff increase. ”

 

The General Secretary further said that there should be more transparency in all future sales of the nation’s assets.

 

“We reject the hike in electricity tariffs and hereby call on our members across the country and all well meaning Nigerians to come out and join NLC protest to drive home the fact that the unilateral and unlawful hike of electricity tariffs is unacceptable.“

 

Aremu said the textile union, instead, called for improvement in power supply.

 

“The point cannot be overstated. Between 30 per cent and 35 per cent of textile and garment manufacturing costs are energy related expenses. Without electrification, there can be no industrialisation.

The promise and expectation that President Buhari will revive textile industry generally is not possible without electricity, ’’ the labour leader said.

 

According to Aremu, it is time for the Buhari-led administration to critically review the power sector reform with a view to increasing public sector investment.

 

(NAN)

FG Hikes Electricity Tariffs, Abolishes Fixed Charges

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has increased electricity tariffs, while removing fixed charges for all consumers.

The new tariffs were approved Sunday.

Henceforth, all electricity distribution companies are not to bill customers the fixed charge component, starting from the customers’ next round of billing, the regulator directed.

Fixed electricity charge is a component of the tariff consumers are made to pay monthly, separate from what they actually consume.

The controversial N750 fixed charge nationwide had generated intense controversy among consumers who described it as illegal.

The chairman of NERC, Sam Amadi, said that under the new tariff regime, electricity consumers would only pay for what they consume from month to month.

Mr. Amadi said the removal of the fixed charge component was in compliance with consumers’ demand for a just and fair pricing of electricity in the country.

Credit: PremiumTimes

NERC Issues Licences To 8 Companies To Generate 1,648.25MW

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Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has given eight companies licences to generate 1,648.25mw and also a licence to a distribution company to distribute power.

 

In a statement in Abuja on Thursday, Dr Usman Arabi, Head, Public Affairs Department of NERC, said the licences were three categories of embedded generation (55mw), two off –grid generation(525mw) and six on-grid generation (1,588mw).

 

It named licencees as Ossiomo Offistes and Utilities Power and Infrastructure, based in Edo, which would engage in electricity distribution and in embedded generation.

 

It added that Ossiomo Distribution Company would generate 55mw of gas power through embedded generation.

 

Other companies are Cummins Power Generation, Nigeria Limited, in Ikeja with capacity for 3.5mw, off- grid, and Lafarge Africa Plc for on-grid, gas-fired generation of 260mw in Ewekoro, Ogun.

 

Independent Power Generation Company Limited, Onitsha, Anambra, is an on-grid gas-fired plant to generate 528mw and Azikel Power Limited, on–grid licence to produce 500mw in Bayelsa, the statement said.

 

It added that Middle Band Solar One Limited in Kogi was given on-grid licence to produce 100mw, while Sinosun Investment Limited, in Kastina, received on-grid, solar power generation licence for 100mw.

 

The statement also said that LR-Aaron Power Limited, located in Gwagalada, FCT, got licence for 100mw solar powered electricity generation.

 

It added that there were six gas-fired generation licences with a combined capacity of 1, 348mw,as well as three solar generations with combined capacity for 300mw.

 

(NAN)

Ghana Launches Power Ship To Boost Electricity

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Ghana has taken delivery of a power generating ship which would boost power supply- bringing an end to the chronic blackouts the nation had been thrown into.

 

Ghana’s Power Minister, Kwabena Donkor, stated this amid anger over the blackouts, which can last for 24 hours at a time, a development that threatens President John Mahama’s chances of re-election next year.

 

The government contracted the ship from independent Turkish producer, Karpowership, to generate 235 megawatts of electricity daily to help offset a national supply deficit of around 500 megawatts.

 

“This is only one element in our solution, but it is a very useful element,” Donkor told newsmen in the port of Tema, east of the capital Accra.

 

“It is a strong signal that we are on course to ending the blackouts and to restoring investors’ confidence in our economy.”

 

Traditional chiefs welcomed the ship on Sunday by pouring alcoholic spirits onto the ground.

 

The power blackouts, which have been going on for three years, stem from insufficient rain to operate hydro facilities, obsolete equipment, inefficiency and a long-term failure to add capacity to the grid.

 

Irregular power has compounded a slowdown in economic growth in a country that, until recently, was investors’ favourite.

 

Ghana’s economy grew strongly for years through its exports of gold, cocoa and oil, but lower global commodity prices have blunted that expansion and the government began an International Monetary Fund (IMF) aid programme in April.

 

The generating ship, Aysegul Sultan, should be plugged into the national grid by mid-December and is the first of two plants that will provide a total of 450 megawatts of power under a 10-year contract, Donkor said.

 

Donkor said an additional supply of up to 250 megawatts was coming next month from the Dubai-based independent producer, Africa, and Middle East Resource Investment.

 

He added that other projects would deliver about 1,000 megawatts in 2016- that would give Ghana a power-reserve.

 

(dpa/NAN)

Wire Abandoned By Electricity Workers Electrocutes 15-Year-Old Girl

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A 15-year-old resident of Ishaga Road in the Idi-Araba area of Lagos State, Afusat Musa, has been electrocuted by a live wire that was partially disconnected by officials of Eko Electricity Distribution Company.
About four officials were said to have stormed the neighbourhood penultimate Tuesday, around 2pm, and disconnected wires from houses, whose residents had yet to pay their bills.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the wire cut from a storey building was, however, abandoned on the roof of a mosque near the building, while the other end was still attached to an electric pole. Moments after power was restored on the fateful day, Afusat, a Junior Secondary School three pupil, who lived in a house next to the mosque, was electrocuted.

She was said to be returning from an errand at about 7pm and touched the metal pole of an aerial

mounted beside her house. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was confirmed dead on arrival.

A brother of the deceased, Aminu Musa, told PUNCH Metro that the manager of the Idi-Araba office of the EKEDC visited the community after the incident was reported at the Itire Police Station and the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency.

Aminu added that the manager denied knowledge of the workers’ operation in the area on the fateful day. He said:

 “Immediately Afusat died, we went to the Itire Police Station. LASEPA was also informed about the incident. The following day, LASEPA officials, the electricity workers and their manager visited us. The manager denied sending his men to disconnect wires.”

Afusat’s mother, Zainab, a trader, said the workers eventually admitted complicity in the occurrence when people confronted them, adding that the case was not properly handled because the family was not influential. She said:

“We initially thought it was our wire that caused the electrocution, but it persisted after my daughter died. It was somebody who rushed in to tell us that a live wire was abandoned on the roof of the mosque, which touched our house’s roof. The workers initially denied that they did come to our area for the operation. But when people insisted they were the ones, they apologised, saying the wire was mistakenly abandoned. If Afusat was from a rich family would the case die like that? They did not even come in to sympathise with us; they stayed outside.”

The deceased’s father, Alhaji Muhammed Musa, who described her as obedient, said her death was caused by the nonchallant attitude of the electricity officials. He said:

 “Many wires were disconnected that day and we had to settle them to fix them back. I paid them N1,500. A wire was not re-fixed because the residents of the house did not settle them. It was carelessness on their part to have abandoned the wire that was not disconnected from the pole. When there was electricity later that day, people started complaining of shocks but we did not know where it came from until Afusat died.”

The Chairman of the community development association, Mr. Rasheed Bakare, said prior to the incident, several invitations had been sent to the electricity company for a discussion on the poor state of electric poles in the area, but were ignored. He said:

“Before this incident, we have written letters to EKEDC, inviting them for deliberation on lingering issues relating to electricity in this community, but they did not honour our invitations. There are cases of falling wires and illegal pole climbing, among others, which we wanted to discuss with them.”

The Lagos State police spokesperson, DSP Joe Offor, said efforts were on to get the statements of the workers complicit in the pupil’s death. He said:

“The DPO informed Lagos State of the incident and invited the concerned workers to the station, but they have yet to honour the invitation. Whenever our men go to their office, they are always told that the workers have gone out. We are still making efforts to ensure that they come to the station.”

Calls made to the line of the spokesperson for EKEDC, Mr, Godwin Idemudia, rang out. He had also yet to reply to a text message sent to his number as of press time, PUNCH reports.

Power Outage Disrupts Senate Probe On Power

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The Senate’s investigation of the power sector was disrupted on Wednesday by repeated power outages at the venue of the hearing.

The power cuts, which occurred in frequent intervals, aroused suspicion and prompted the visibly irritated Chairman of the ad hoc Committee on Power, Senator Abubakar Kyari, to investigate the disruptions during the hearing.

The situation compelled those making submissions to either use the light from their phones or the glow from video camera to make their presentations.

Yesterday’s probe, which began at 11:30 am was a continuation of the hearing which started on Tuesday, but the persistent outage forced the committee to adjourn at 4.00 pm.

The outages, which started at 2pm when the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Godknows Igali, was making his submission on behalf of various electricity companies, lasted for 10 to 15 minutes.

Read More: thisdaylive

Female UNILAG Student Electrocuted At Campus Hostel

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A female University of Lagos student was electrocuted yesterday Sept. 8th after a high tension cable fell on her in front of the Sodeinde hall of residence in the campus. According to reports, the young lady was immediately rushed to the Lagos state Teaching Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Sad! May her soul rest in peace, Amen.

We Are Targeting 5,000MW Electricity Daily- Buhari

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President Buhari yesterday said, that his administration is targeting 5,000 megawatts daily by 2016.

He said there were ongoing efforts to complete some power projects so as to lay the foundation for 10,000 and 15,000 megawatts in subsequent years.

He also affirmed his administration’s commitment to protect the rights of law-abiding Nigerians in their various countries of abode.

He stated these at the 2015 Diaspora Day held at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja with the theme: “Diaspora and Nigeria Change Agenda.”

Represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, he, however, assured that the government will build a reliable data base of the population of Nigerians living abroad as a critical step to harnessing the gains for national development.

Read More: sunnewsonline

NERC Has Potential to End Plight of Electricity Consumers- Senate

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The Senate commended the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for its prompt decision to address the extortion of Nigerians by electricity distribution companies (Discos).

The Senate in a statement by  the chairman of its ad-hoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, said NERC’s directive to Discos to restructure fixed charges, discontinue estimated billing and bulk metering of consumers, had shown that the commission had the potential to save electricity consumers from the excesses of service providers.

While describing the steps taken so far by NERC as pro-people, Melaye added that the commission had shown that it is a responsible regulatory body.

The Senate had on August 11, asked NERC to immediately ensure that Discos discontinue  the fixed monthly charges on electricity consumption following a motion by Senators Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North) and David Umaru (Niger East) entitled: “Unfair trade practices of electricity distribution companies in Nigeria.”

Read More: thisdaylive

Why Electricity Fixed Charges Can’t Be Abolished, NERC To Senate

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, yesterday, defied the directive by the Senate to abolish the Fixed Charges, FC, introduced by the commission, noting that there is nothing illegal about the charges.

Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, who spoke against the background of the motion by members of the red chamber, maintained that the electricity fixed charges are legal and cannot be abolished.

It will be recalled that the Senate had, last Tuesday, directed the commission to abolish the monthly fixed charges being collected from electricity consumers by the Distribution Companies, DISCOs.

The resolution followed a motion entitled, “Unfair trade practices of Electricity Distribution Companies in Nigeria,” sponsored by Senator Sam Egwu, Ebonyi and Senator David Umaru of Niger East Senatorial District.

But Amadi maintained that any attempt to promptly abolish the fixed charges will have adverse effect on the electricity market.

This is even as the commission has urged communities that are placed on bulk billing to not only reject it, but also insist on individual meters.

The commission also revealed that it has abolished the connection of new customers without meters.

Read More: vanguardngr

Senate Tells Electricity Regulatory Body To Abolish Fixed Charges

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Federal lawmakers at Tuesday’s plenary session, made the resolution after reviewing the operations of the electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) since the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

The Senate urged the commission to advise the DISCOs to end bulk metering as well as halt the practice of making consumers pay for poles and transformers, which by law, are properties of electricity distribution companies.

Most of the Senators, who contributed to the motion, narrated tales of woes on electricity supply and billing in their constituencies, accusing the DISCOs of running fraudulent operations and acts of extortion.

Some of the lawmakers said that while they expected the privatisation of the power sector to guarantee stable power supply, the situation had grown from bad to worse.

Read More: channelstv

Heat Wave Kills Over 120 In Pakistan

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Pakistan’s largest charity, Edhi Welfare Organization has said that its mortuary has been filled to capacity as a result of heatwave-related deaths. Heat wave in Pakistan’s largest city Karachi and nearby districts of Southern Sindh province has killed at least 120 people, Pakistan’s health officials have said.

The southern port city of Karachi saw temperatures reach as high as 45 degrees Celsius on Saturday, just short of an all-time high of 47C in June 1979. Dr Seemin Jamali, the head of the emergency department confirmed more than 100 people had died at the hospital. “They all died of heat stroke,” she said.

Pakistan’s Meteorological Department said temperatures would likely subside in the coming days, but doctors have advised avoiding exposure to the sun and wearing light cotton clothes.

Electricity cuts in turn crippled their water supply system, hampering the pumping of millions of gallons of water to consumers,  Their Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif has  however warned electric supply companies that he would not tolerate power outages especially doing this period of Ramadan.

FG Raises Alarm Over Dwindling Electricity Supply, Power Plants Shutdown

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The Federal Government on Friday in Abuja raised alarm over dwindling and epileptic electricity supply across the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr Godknows Igali, made this known after a meeting with Vice-President Namadi Sambo to State House correspondents in Abuja.
Igali, and Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power, had briefed Sambo on the state of power generation, transmission and distribution in the country.
\
He said the ongoing strike by Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas had further worsened the power supply situation.

The workers were protesting the transfer of the operatorship of the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 42 to two indigenous companies, claiming the move would affect the fortunes of NPDC and its staff.

“With the strike which has gone on for one or two days there is dramatic turn as of this afternoon we have gone down for the all time low to 1,327 megawatts.

“So, if you look at it from 4,800 there is dramatic turn, the loss is terrible,’’ Igali said.

He said as at 12 noon May 22, 2015, Utorogu, CHEVRON ORE DO, OB EN gas plants were all shutdown while UGHELI and CNL ESCRAVOS were already isolated.

He said, “on the eastern axis Shell Gas, ALAKIRI has also been shutdown. This has led to the several power plants being stranded and shutdown.

“This includes EGBIN, OLORUNSHOGO I & 11, OMOTOSHO 1& 11, GEREGU I & 11, IHONVOR and SAPELE (NIPP) on the western axis and ALAOJI on the eastern end.’’

According to him, besides, pipeline vandalism which has continued to have very negative impact on the power supply situation in the country, the ongoing strike by the labour unions in the oil and gas sector has added additional toll.

“The overall effect is that power supply which had started picking up steadily since the beginning of the week following repairs of various vandalised portions of the ELP Line and the Trans-Forcados Gas Pipelines, has fallen to all-time-unprecedented low of 1,327m was at 1.00 p.m. May22, 2015.

He, therefore, warned that “situation could get worse if the strike continues’’.
Igali expressed the hope that the ongoing discussion between the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and, the labour unions, would end amicably.

“Indeed, it is hoped the labour unions will help restore supply of gas to the power plants even while negotiation are ongoing.’’(NAN)

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Like Super Eagles, Like Goodluck Jonathan By Ayodele Daniel

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Few days ago, Nigeria played against Uruguay in the on-going Confederations Cup taking place in Brazil. Although the Super Eagles fell 1-2 to the Uruguayans, a random sample of opinions especially from my friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter suggests the Coach Stephen Keshi tutored lads did not disappoint. How so?

I did not watch the match. Matter of fact, I’ve stopped watching any game involving the senior national team for a very long time now. Maybe, who knows, I might yet again gather the courage to watch them play just as I salute the millions of Nigerians who have not lost faith in the Super Eagles.

But how did the same Nigerians who once labelled their favourite national team the ‘Super Ducks’, ‘Super Chickens’, etc. suddenly find them ‘Super Eagles’ once more? Did they just hate the coaches, players or were they just too blind to see the ‘achievements’ of the boys on the field of play? Were Nigerians sponsored to hate their own national team? Or did the opposition turn Nigerians against them just to spite the government of the day?

Here lies the true motive of why I’d to put hand to keyboard to type out my thoughts on the Nigerian situation.

The President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration is undoubtedly the most criticized and if I must add, the most misunderstood and mistrusted in Nigerian history. But was it like this from the beginning; the relationship between Nigerians and their President whom they massively voted for in the hope of enjoying a ‘breath of fresh air’? At what point did the relationship turn sour? When did it become one where the head became disconnected from the rest of the body and vice-versa?

I can’t simply place a time-line to it but I make bold to say that the day the present administration began to see every other voice of dissent to its much touted ‘Transformation Agenda’ as the ‘ramblings’ of a ‘disgruntled few’ or an outburst by the ‘collective children of anger,’ that is when it began to isolate itself from the realities on ground.

From my little understanding, contrary to what some might think, Nigerians are a very grateful people but with very short memory. Let me cite an example that touches on almost everyone.

When the Federal Government seemed to have improved (no matter how small) electricity generation and distribution (and don’t pretend like it wasn’t noticeable) in most parts of the country, Nigerians were excited and some even began to see some flicker of hope in the present administration but somewhere along the line (I think with the exit of Prof. Barth Nnaji) the modest effort was frittered and it seemed we descended to a worse state. Did Nigerians continue with their praise-singing? Did you?

We appreciate the little efforts even when we deserve more but why can’t the present administration see some genuineness in some of the criticisms it receives almost on a daily the same way it readily accepts the accolades?

The current dispensation has come to accept only praises but discards knocks, no matter how genuine. In fact, it has come to descend heavily on critics and only just recently set an examination for itself and scored itself ‘A’ in all areas. Who does that?

Obviously, our politicians still haven’t imbibed the spirit of sportsmanship in all their dealings with Nigerians. They are the players; we are the fans. But we are not their supporters’ club.

I digress. No matter how bad the Super Eagles are having it on the field of play, the main job of the Nigeria Supporters Club is to keep cheering them on from the beginning of the blast of the referee’s whistle to the end. The sounds of the trumpets, drums, roars, songs will not ebb. That’s because it is their job. It’s the reason why they registered to join the supporters’ club; to sink or swim with the Eagles. But the fans at home, even some in the stadium don’t agree. Their loyalty is fickle. The Super Eagles have on several occasions been jeered by their home fans for a poor display. Did that make them bad fans? No! It’s just a wake-up call.

When the majority of Nigerians who seemed to be in love with Mr. Jonathan and his style of leadership at first suddenly turned cold and scathing of his policies, his style and person, it did not mean that their hearts were poisoned towards him. It only meant he wasn’t living up to their expectations.

A sensible and God-fearing leader would have retraced his steps and find a way to cement his relationship with the people who stood by him and gave him their mandate, but what did President Jonathan do? He isolated himself the more from the people by surrounding himself with bootlickers and persons of questionable characters whose only interests remain their pockets. And as if that wasn’t enough, the President destroyed whatever remained of that relationship/goodwill by not giving a damn!

Had the Super Eagles not given a damn, carried on as if all was well when it wasn’t, they wouldn’t have found themselves in the good books of majority of Nigerians who now stay up late to watch them play and pray for their victory. That’s the Nigerian spirit; one that recognizes success from a mile off and embraces it while distancing itself from failure immediately it begins to surface.

The present administration will do well to go back to the drawing board as they’ve always done but to the Nigerian people, they must ask their forgiveness for taking them for granted. Yes, they think us fools! We’re the only ones who cannot see the ‘giant’ strides being made in every sector of the economy. In fact, some even say the present administration has exceeded its promise to Nigerians and I ask, in what way?

The present administration must sit-up and set mind to task. They’ve relaxed for too long basking in the infamy of failure and quoting fanciful figures and reports that seem taken from another world not the one we live in where unemployment, poverty, insecurity, corruption, disunity and other evils have probably being the highest of all time.

It won’t be easy, Nigerians will remain sceptical, but I daresay that when the present administration truly begins to make the welfare of the generality of Nigerians its focal point and stop engaging in self-glorification, it will once more begin to enjoy the support of all and sundry in ways unimaginable.

The Super Eagles are a testament to that part of the Nigerian spirit that wipes the slate clean to begin a fresh start.

I am @ayoadaniel on Twitter