Muhammed D. Eibo Adanu
Despite the billions of naira spent in the revival of the nations’ power sector, the story of non performance and technical know-how has not changed as successive governments seem not to have the solution to the problem. The nation’s asset is being shared in the disguise of privatization. President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) lamented that in spite of the privatization in the power sector, the new DISCOs operators are only interested in making money.
It is in the light of this that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Turakin Adamawa, advised PMB and APC, to use their political will to reverse the sagacious privatization exercise in the power sector that has made many Nigerians jobless, tariffs increment and darkness.
This admonition must be taken seriously by PMB, as 2019 general elections looks uncertain for the APC except a revered grassroots political juggernaut like Atiku is fielded as its presidential candidate.
Nigerians may clamour for another change, as the change the electorate voted for seemed not to be in tandem with the yearning and aspiration of the people, especially in the provision of efficient and stable power. I was told by impeccable sources that GEJ never believed privatization is the answer to the power quagmire but was persuaded and today GEJ is vindicated. The N6.8 billion PHCN terminal benefits allegedly diverted by few individuals is an issue that PMB must address.
Recently, human right activist and Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central, APC), lent his voice to the failure of privatization in the power sector. Summing up the general feelings of Nigerians, he said, “Power supply has dropped to an unprecedented and embarrassing low level. We are in a state of power paralysis. It’s ironic that high electricity tariff has only led to low electricity supply.
“Our DISCOs are now distributing darkness. After the privatization of PHCN, we thought there will be light at the end of the tunnel, but we only transited from the darkness of the tunnel to that of a cave. Private power investors moved Nigeria from manageable power epilepsy to a complete power paralysis. We used to be often in the dark, now we perpetuate in it. Light is now luxury and luxury is now light. We now live a generator life. No nation can develop being powered by generators.”
To this end, no matter how long the grains of truth are hidden from manifestation, it must one day germinate and prevail. And when it does, sanity and hope are restored but the damage done by deceit takes enormous time and resources to knock things in good shape.
It is evident that the sector is worse off now than when it was not privatised. The privatization of the power sector was never the option; and PMB’s delay poses danger to the all important sector that is now in distress, forcing the Yola Zone to declare force majeure and others may soon follow suit.
That the new owners have failed to improve on the bad situation which led to privatization of the sector in the first place is absolutely clear. Look around you and point at one value that has been added to the electricity supply chain or the landmark achievement of the new owners. The vulture is feasting on the already decayed carcass. There is little or no remarkable investment in terms of engagement of competent manpower, and upgrading the dilapidated infrastructure. This has resulted to incessant outages, load shedding, frequent tripping and collapse of the system which have become the lot of the power sector in recent times.
Those who attempted to cover the sun with their mere five fingers have seen the futility in their desperate bids to satisfy their masters to the detriment of national interest. The chicken has finally come home to roost and the lies could no longer withstand the potency of truth. From Maiduguri to Port Harcourt and Enugu to Sokoto, the conspicuous evidence of lack of power supply to our homes, offices and companies are the same. It has indeed become a hopeless situation. The seeming lack of wisdom or refusal to make hay while the sun shines by the once-celebrated-technically-competent new owners has left the nation in a terrible dilemma.
As the rain comes in torrents and storms threatening weak networks, this same company which failed to stock enough poles has instead resorted to scavenging for any non utilized ones either planted or not within its franchise area as a possible way out of the dire situation.
The necessary funding the new owners claimed will be injected into the sector has turned out to be one promise not kept and may not be kept. Moreover, the Indian and Lebanese proxies the new owners paid to stand as internationally acclaimed technical partners at the inception of the bidding processes vanished immediately having done their beats, leaving the nation to continue to grapple with the same problem. The new companies clearly lack the requisite technical abilities. The regulators were very much aware but declined to do the needful in the interest of Nigeria. It was all a ruse from the beginning.
Thus, if this administration is serious about fighting corruption and unemployment then, the power privatization must be revisited, thoroughly reviewed and those behind the mess should face criminal charges, no matter highly placed they are.
Adanu, a communications specialist,
wrote via [email protected], 08053954802
