Reconnect Maiduguri To National Grid, Senate Urges FG

The Senate yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to immediately reconnect Maiduguri to the national grid.
The Senate also urged the Federal Government to complete the Mambilla Power Project to improve electricity supply in the country.
It condemned the inability of TCN to provide continuous and uninterrupted power supply to every part of the country.
The call followed a motion entitled ‘’Disconnection of Maiduguri from the National Grid and General Power Degeneration in Nigeria’’ presented by the Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume.
Ndume said that Maiduguri and environs had been completely disconnected since the emergence of insurgency in the area.
He complained that the situation had grounded economic activities in the state, saying “I buy diesel to run my generator set and that costs me N10, 000 per day.
“No country can be said to be near development when there is no power. This Senate needs to investigate to give support to the government.
“For years now a lot of money has been spent but there is nothing to show for it,’’ he said.
Supporting the motion, Sen. Danjuma Goje (APC- Gombe Central) said it was apt in view of hardship which lack of power supply had caused Nigerians.
“The problem of power was on before 1999 and I am surprised that up till today, the power sector is grappling with insufficient supply.
“This motion is apt because there is a need to find out what happened in spite of the unbundling and huge amount so far spent,’’ he said.
Contributing, Sen. Godswill Akpabio (PDP-Akwa Ibom North-West), lamented that many companies had shut down due to irregular power supply in the country.
He regretted that in spite of the financial contribution by some states in the South to improve power supply, Nigerians were still grappling the problem.
“In 2015 we are celebrating 4000 mega watts; for me, this is worrisome.
“ We cannot have employment without power and Nigerians are complaining about the high cost and some localities which have not seen light for months are asked to pay high tariff,’’ he said.
Akpabio, therefore, urged the senate to do all within its power to assist the Federal Government in bringing an end to the problem.
In a unanimous adoption of the motion, the lawmakers expressed concern that Nigeria with a population of over 150 million people produced only 4, 600 megawatts of electricity.
They said that the situation in the country was in contrast with South Africa, which with population of about 40 million people produced 40,000 megawatts.
They observed that disconnection from the national grid and low generation of power supply across the country had affected economic activities, including collapse of many industries.
They added that it was disheartening that South Korea with no fewer than 35 million people generated about 60,000 mega watts of electricity.
The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said that the inadequate power supply in the country was affecting economic growth.
He stressed that besides corruption, lack of power supply had plunged the country into further hardship.
“ We thought that with the Power Reform Act and unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), we will begin to see a relief with regard to power supply but unfortunately it is not so.
“The ad hoc committee we will set up should look at the activities of the DISCOS and what is preventing Nigerians from benefitting from the unbundling of the PHCN,’’ he said.
After the resolution, the senate constituted a 13-member ad hoc committee headed by Sen. Abubakar Kyari (APC-Borno North) to take a look at irregularities in the power sector.
The committee was mandated to carry out a holistic investigation into the management of funds appropriated to the power sector since 1999 and the unbundling of the TCN.
It was directed to conclude its assignment and submit report in two weeks.