Power Sector: Nigerians Speak On Jonathan’s Performance

A fashion designer who gave his name as Bayo, said the issue of power supply was a major constraint to development in the country.

He said during an interview on President Goodluck Jonathan’s 100 days in office that without power, life was miserable, adding that in his chosen profession, electricity was important, but lamented that since the nation’s democratic dispensation, the issue had gone from bad to worse.

In Yenagoa, residents expressed mixed feelings about the administration’s 100 days in office, with some criticising him, while others said the period was too short to assess the administration’s performance.

A Human Rights lawyer, Mr Osom Macbere, said that although the administration, in its short time, had embarked on some reforms in the power sector, which had really not made any serious change, it deserved to be given some more time.

He scored the administration low on security, because of the incessant bombings in some parts of the country, especially in the Northern part.

Macbere urged the security agencies to take decisive steps at curbing the menace, which he noted had claimed several lives and property.

A lecturer with the Niger Delta University, Mr Pius Waritimi, scored the president 60 per cent on education, but said it was a failure in science, especially the satellite project.

Waritimi, who said 100 days were too short to assess the administration that has four years to spend, urged the president to be decisive in his actions, with particular reference to power and security, saying that once the two sectors were in order, all others would follow.

Some motorists and motorcyclists in the Delta capital have, however, commended the administration for making petrol available and at controlled price.

Mr Kunle Adebayo, a commercial motorcyclist, said “since the president assumed office, Nigerians no longer queue for petrol at filling stations in the  country.

“If it is only petrol that he has been able to make available for us within the short period he has ruled, he has tried and I hope that he will do a lot of things well for Nigerians.”

Adebayo appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the president and pray for him.