By Ikenna Orioha
As people are bedeviled by perpetual poor power supply, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), has strongly revealed that the Private Sector to which the Nigeria Power Sector was privatized 13 years ago lacks the capacity to improve electricity supply across the country.
NUEE said since 1st November, 2013, the Private Sector took over the Power Sector, the country has gone from bad to worse as it is still struggling over 4000 Mega Watts Power it used to generate prior to privatization.
This revelation was made by the Senior Assistant General Secretary of NUEE, Imo State Chapter, Comr. Tony Agyake, in an interview with journalists, during the 2024 Workers’ Day Celebration, held at Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kalu Square, Owerri, last week.
Agyake regretted that due to decline on power supply and abysmal hike on electricity tariff industrialisation, commercialization and production are going down the drain as foreign investors are leaving the country in droves, saying NUEE earlier told citizens that the Private Persons who are coming to take charge of the Power Sector lack the capacity to improve the sector and since have not brought any foreign direct investment nor technical expertise.
“Over 13 years down the line, we have gone from bad to worse in terms of supply of power and with the new regulatory policy, NURC had brought in 300% hike in tariff. If an average consumer consumed 30 minutes of power before – the 30 minutes is no longer there now because every available Mega Watts has been channelled to the so-called Band – A which they said we are going to pay more.
“Most homes have not been metered. NUEE has told government that this is not the right time to increase tariff…Nigeria, with almost 200 million population, is still struggling under 4000 Mega Watts. We have the capacity to generate up to 12000 Mega Watts, but it is not there.
“We operate from National Grid in terms of electricity hence the poor provision of electricity. Power Sector was privatized in 2013 – the new owners took over on November 1st 2013 – between 2013 till now is over 10 years and the situation has gone from bad to worse – what they told us they were bringing to the table is not what we are seeing.
“Those licensed many years ago to generate electricity have not been able to generate one Mega Watts and it is bad that government would not sanction them nor listen to stakeholders. Industries are folding up because of comatose power supply. So, if they want Nigeria to excel on industrialization, they must do everything possible to restore power for the use of the people”, the NUEE Senior Assist General Secretary maintained.
While urging government to shun the increment of Electricity Tariff which will heighten the burden of economic hardship on people, NUEE Chairman, Imo State, Comr. Agu Nicholas, appealed to government to do the needful to alleviate poverty, hardship and suffering in the country.
