News
Power Supply Worsens Nationwide
L-R: President, PHCCIMA, Engr Emeka Unachukwu, former President, PHCCIMA, Sir Godfrey Ohuobunwa and former President, FOSSCCIMA, Prince Billy Gillis Harry, during the council meeting of PHCCIMA, recently.
Power supply to states across the federation worsened in the month of March, a survey released yesterday by NOI Polls, a notable indigenous survey organisation, has revealed.
This is coming as investors in the country’s power assets attributed their poor performance during the period to gas supply constraints as a result of incessant gas pipeline vandalism perpetuated by miscreants.
The poll results revealed that the situation of power nationwide worsened in March, and stated that majority of Nigerians, 54 per cent, claimed that power had gone bad or worsened.
It said another 17 per cent revealed that they saw no difference at all, bringing the figure to a total of 71 per cent.
It said, “This month shows an all-time low rating of power, 29 per cent for those who experienced an improvement, over the 15-month period that NOI Polls has tracked improvements in household power supply nationwide.
“These are some of the key findings from the Governance Snap Poll conducted on March 24, 2014.”
It noted that the survey was conducted by NOI Polls to gauge the opinions and perceptions of Nigerians regarding the approval rating of President Goodluck Jonathan, the performance of the president on key elements of his transformation agenda, and the state of power supply in the country.
It added, “Further findings across the geo-political zones indicate that the highest proportion of respondents that reported bad/worsened power supply was from the South-West region with 66 per cent of respondents, followed by the South-South region with 59 per cent and the North East region with 58 per cent.
“Highest proportion that reported no difference at all was the North Central, 29 per cent, and those who saw slight improvements were the North-West, 28 per cent, and South-East, 30 per cent.”
When contacted to comment on why power supply had worsened despite the fact that the sector had been privatised, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Geregu Power Plc, Mr. Adeyemi Adenuga, told our correspondent that the situation was beyond privatising the sector.
He said, “Poor power supply is largely due to pipeline vandalism. As far as our gas pipelines are being vandalised by miscreants, the problem may continue.
“We are all in Nigeria and I think this issue is something outside the issue of privatisation. It is not today that it started and it has been felt by the Nigerian Gas Company and some other companies as well.”
Adenuga said until oil theft is addressed, gas pipeline vandalism may persist, as both had things in common.
He added, “The day they get the solution to oil theft, I think there will be solution to gas pipeline vandalism. However, there is no cause for alarm because they are working hard to address this issue.”
The Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Power, Mr. Beks Dagogo-Jack, corroborated Adenuga’s views, and added that the Federal Government was working hard to address the situation.
“This prompted the approval of $1billion by the president to address these issues of vandalism and theft,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has concluded plans to rehabilitate about thirty dams to boost power supply in the country.
The dams, recommended by the Ministry of Water Resources, are expected to generate additional 147.60 megawatts to the existing power source.
Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, who made the disclosure in Abuja during a media briefing, said access to electricity is put at 40 per cent.
The minister, who was represented by Director, Dams and Reservoir Operations in the ministry, Dr Emmanuel Adanu, explained that while constructing dams in the past and recently for water supply and irrigation, it constituted small hydro power plants in the construction processes.
According to her, the ministry has partnered the energy sector to conduct studies on the proposed dams and engineering designs of the small hydro power schemes accompanying each of them.
She said this was to serve project activities and generate electricity to rural communities, adding that the supply of water and energy are important to achieving sustainable national development.
“In Nigeria, statistics have shown that shown that only forty per cent of the people have access to electricity, 60 per cent of the population has access to safe drinking water while access to sanitation is put at 41 per cent.
“As part of integrated river basin development, the ministry and some RBDAs while constructing dams in the 19802 s and recently for water supply and irrigation incorporated small hydro power plants to generate electricity to serve the project activities and the host of rural communities.
“Based on the collaboration between the water and energy sectors, Federal Ministry of Power conducted the feasibility studies and engineering design of some of the small hydro power schemes mentioned above for rehabilitation and concession to boost electricity supply in Nigeria.
“No nation can develop without adequate supply of water and energy. Demand for water will continue to increase significantly over the coming decades. The need for increased collaboration and cooperation between the agencies and stakeholders in the water and energy sectors cannot be over-emphasized,” she said.
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