FG transfers burden of electricity generation failure to citizens

• China generates 5.7bn mw, US 4.3bn mw, Nigeria 5,000mw

By SUNDAY ODIBASHI

The Federal Government of Nigeria has despite the huge budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Power and the subsidiary agencies over the years failed in its responsibility to generate sufficient electricity to citizens of the country. The various reforms in the power sector have always been driven toward increasing electricity tariff to increase billing burden on the citizens while the supply of power continues to diminish with every successive government.

The basic government institution responsible for electricity supply, including generation, has merely changed its nomenclature in the numerous reform disguise by the government. From NEPA to PHCN, then DISCOs at the level of distribution in the current splitting of GENCOs and TCN.

A report by African Outlook shows that Nigeria is over 150 years behind electricity generation systems in the world. The record shows that advanced economies and countries generate electricity in billions and millions of megawatts with the minimum countries recording hundreds of thousands.

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The African Outlook shows that China generates the highest volume of electricity in the world at 5,682,000,000mw; the US generates 4,324,000,000mw; India generates 1,324,000,000mw; Japan 995,000,000mw, the UK 338,000,000mw while Nigeria has been struggling with 5,000mw since independence in 1960.

Operators in the power sector have not shown to have acquired the requisite capacity and technology for effective and efficient functioning. The solution to their failures and incompetence is to increase electricity tariff at interval to meet the greed for profiteering while the service is not being provided.

Today, Nigerians pay for darkness; electricity suppliers impose bills without restraint.

The irony is that operators in Nigeria are relying on analogue technology of dam construction, depending on hydro-power in the 21st century world that green energy is in vogue, in addition to other modern technologies, including using the ocean.

Nigerian citizens have become victims of fleece by the modern day DISCOs which have transformed into dictators.