Criticism trails FG’s plans to supply Chad with Electricity

Nigerians have reacted to a proposal by the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration to supply electricity to the Republic of Chad following a recent request by the neighbouring country.

It would be recalled that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had on June 22, 2020 announced that the government of Chad Republic had formally requested the Nigerian government to connect them to the Nigerian electricity grid in order to ease the burden of power supply in the country.

It disclosed that the Chadian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Abakar Chachaimi, made the request when he led a delegation on a working visit to the Nigerian Minister of Power, Mr.  Sale Mamman, recently in Abuja.

Total power generation in the country fell to 3,474.5MW as of 6am on Sunday from 3,776.5MW on Saturday, according to data obtained from the Nigerian Electricity System Operator.

But reacting in several tweets, Nigerians said the 3,000 megawatts currently being generated in the country is not enough for consumers in Nigeria, considering the fact that Nigeria also exports electricity to three neighbouring countries, namely Republics of Niger, Benin and Togo.

They wondered why Nigeria would contemplate connecting another country on its grid when the country was suffering from epileptic power supply.

Steven Olasite said, “There is no ‘possibilities’ anything. As I type, we didn’t have power for four days before it was restored yesterday. How can a country with epileptic power be contemplating connecting another country to its grid? This is madness!”

Johnson Weniaru, another tweeted follower of TCN, said, “We have not had power for six days now and you want to connect another country to the small one we are managing. You people should borrow yourself.”

Udeh Martin replied to TCN’s tweet thus, “How can a country with epileptic power be contemplating connecting another country to its grid? This is total madness!”

Mustapha Adam, who tweeted in Pidgin English, said, “You see your problem ko? With the current less than 5,000MW generation? May God deliver us from over sabi people?”

Hilary Onyekwelu advised TCN to stop tweeting such information, as he said, “Don’t tweet this because it is a bad idea. You don’t give what you don’t have.”