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.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Rivers4 days ago
Don Sues For Leadership Assessment Centre In IAUE
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Commissioner Explains Oborevwori’s Retirement Age Extentoon For Associate Profs
-
Business4 days ago
Cassava Flour Initiative Revival Can Up Economy By ?255b – COMAFAS
-
Sports4 days ago
Eagles B Players Admit Pressure For CHAN Qualification
-
Rivers4 days ago
Rivers Judiciary Denies Issuing Court Order Stopping SOLAD from Swearing in RSCSC Members
-
Rivers4 days ago
Group Seeks Prosecution Of Clergy, Others Over Attempted Murder
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Oborevwori Boosts Digitalisation With Ulesson 500 Tablets To Pupils, Students
-
Business4 days ago
CRG Partner JR Farms To Plant 30m Coffee Seedlings