Senate laments poor power supply, plans public hearing

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has directed the Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy to conduct a public hearing into the declining electricity generation in the country, which currently stands at 3000 megawatts capacity.

Also, the public hearing is expected to verify the claims and counter claims of non-remittance of revenues between Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET), Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and Generation Companies (GENCOs) as well as uncover how the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disbursed the N213b intervention funds to the power sector.

Saraki, in a statement issued by his Media Office spoke at the weekend during a special stakeholders meeting held to proffer solutions to the worsening electricity generation in the country. He said the public hearing should look at the role of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), which serves as board members in the DISCOs and GENCOs, thereby making it difficult for the BPE to effectively supervise and audit the electricity generation and distribution companies.

He lamented the poor state of electricity supply and the consequences of the negative development in the efforts to move Nigeria out of the present economic recession.

Saraki told the stakeholders in the power sector led by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Louis Edozien that the essence of the meeting was to proffer solution to an imminent collapse of the electricity system in the country.

Briefing the meeting, Edozien, lamented that power generation has gone down to 3000MW/H from a 7000MW/H generating capacity, with a 12000MW/H-connected load.