Stakeholders fault FG’s stance on power supply

• Power generation stagnates at 4,600MW

Stakeholders in the Nigeria’s power sector have faulted the Federal Government’s claims regarding regular power supply in the country. According to them, the increase in electricity supply has remained insignificant to have impact on consumers.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s electricity generation plummets from the regular 3,500 Mega Watts (MW) to 4,600MW as at May 28, 2018, while its lowest generation on the same day stood at 3,354.6MW.

This new feat is far below the country’s installed capacity of 11,165.40MW and available capacity of 7,139.60MW.For stakeholders in the Nigeria’s power sector, this latest development is not enough to meet the ever increasing need of electricity in the country.

President Buhari had said in his Democracy Day speech that Nigerians from all parts of the country continue to report better power supply and less use of generators.He added that this underscores the effectiveness of the methodical plan to deliver incremental and uninterrupted power supply to our homes, markets, offices and factories.

Reacting to the president’s speech on increase in power generation, President, Nigerians for Super Energy, Joseph Bassey Inyang, who confirmed that there has been slight increase in power supply, noted that consumers were yet to enjoy the benefits due to increase in population.He said that the current generation capacity was not capable of meeting the electricity demand in the country. “A few years ago, we were about a 100 million and the population has increased to about 180 million. There may be increase in generation, but there has not been increase in the electricity supply to households. This is because the amount of power the country is generating is not enough to overcome the increasing electricity demand on a daily basis.

“People run their businesses on generators. Last week, residents of Lekki axis in Lagos, had a meeting with Eko Electricity Distribution Company because the community has been without electricity in the last three months.He stressed the need for the Federal Government to encourage Solar Energy. “But the issue with this is that, the Federal Government is now charging tariff on Solar Power,” he said.

Also, National Secretary, Electricity Consumers’ Rights Enlightenment Organisation of Nigeria, Akinbodunse Shedrack said though, there has been slight increase in power generation, distribution continued to pose serious challenge in the country.

According to him, the existing infrastructure is not capable of taking the power generated from the source to the consumers.He said that excessive billings have made it impossible for consumers to enjoy what he described as ‘insignificant’ rise in power generation. “We had a meeting recently with management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution over excessive billing. The Discos are cheating consumers and this is not good at all for power supply.”

He stressed the need for the Federal Government to embrace decentralized form of power generation. “This present system whereby power is transmitted from one state to the other should be discouraged.”

We have rivers in every State in Nigeria. Hydro Power is one of the cheapest forms of power generation. Government should also force the Discos to stop estimated billings by criminalizing the scheme,” he said.

The Chairman, Economic Policy Committee, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Reginald Odiah, said that manufacturers were still using generators for production despite claim by the president over increase in power generation and supply.

According to him, electricity generation is now better than it used to be, but not enough for the manufacturing process.He said: “There has been slight improvement in supply, but is still not enough for the manufacturing sector to do away with their generators. We still rely on generators because power supply from the main grid is not reliable.”