The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has described the increased electricity tariffs as “a painful pill,” appealing to consumers to “swallow” it.

Fashola stated this on the sidelines of the second monthly sectoral meeting with stakeholders in the power sector in Lagos, where he also inspected some projects at the Alagbon Transmission and Distribution Complex on Monday.

He said, “Importantly, I understand that people who have been disappointed over a long time will feel a sense of concern that again tariffs have gone up. But the truth is that these tariffs ought to have been there from day one. I don’t know why the government of yesterday was not courageous enough to tell us this was the price.

“It is a painful pill that I must appeal that we swallow. It is like quinine and malaria. It’s painful; it’s not sweet, I know that, but I do it because we are not left with many choices. This is the first major decision in power that this administration has taken. There are other problems.

“I can only appeal for some understanding and some trust that we do this in the best interest of our country. It is a hard decision, but I think down the line, we will have cause to look…”

Fashola’s comments comes amid the ongoing nationwide protest by workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, which has grounded commercial activities in several cities in the country.

The minister, who faulted the way the privatisation of the power sector was carried out, said the sector was being plagued by several problems including gas supply shortfall and transmission issue.

The President Goodluck Jonathan administration had in November 2013 privatised the successor generation and distribution companies carved out of the defunct government-owned Power Holding Company of Nigeria, leaving out the transmission segment of the value chain.

When asked what the problems in the sector were, the minister said, “The problem is everywhere. The problem is with us. The problem is with gas. The problem is with transmission. The problem is with the way the privatisation exercise itself was conducted.

“But as I have said before, I am not going to lament what has happened in the past. I am going to move on with it. So, the first move we have made when we accessed the situation, nobody was happy with it when we took over.

“This is a problem that has been here for 16 years, if we put it mildly. It is a problem that has been here 100 years ago, if we put it really extremely. I have been here for less than a 100 days, and I think we can solve this problem if you give us the tools that we need to do it. I think that this problem can be solved, and the day that we feel that it cannot be solved, I will gladly come and tell you that I don’t think it will work.”
http://www.punchng.com/31930-2/

Hmmm...the past government na fuel subsidy, this one na electricity subsidy I guess

Fashola should on behalf of downtrodden / suffering Nigerians convey to FG/Buhari that the "painful pill,” ain't easy to “swallow”.

As a SAN why is he and Osinbajo supporting disregard to rule of law when there's a pending case before the court on this matter

Dis govt just specialized in blamenology

This Fashola guy funny o, make we do weytin It is a painful pill that I must appeal that we swallow. It is like quinine and malaria. It’s painful; it’s not sweet, I know that, but I do it because we are not left with many choices

Huhhhh It won't work

“This is a problem that has been here for 16 years, if we put it mildly. It is a problem that has been here 100 years ago, if we put it really extremely. I have been here for less than a 100 days, and I think we can solve this problem if you give us the tools that we need to do it"

"The minister, who faulted the way the privatisation of the power sector was carried out...".

When Telecommunication was privatized, every Nigerian have the opportunity to own at least a line as a result of overwhelming competition among the service providers. In fact, my MTN SIM was even given to me free of charge when the competition reached its peak. Though not a fan of OBJ, but I give OBJ credit on this one.


Back to the topic, the question begging for answer is - what has been the resultant positive effect of privatizing energy sector by Goat Goodluck Jonathan? The only thing I noticed was increment in tariff: without improvement.

APC is back at the increment now: what confidence do public have in this administration? I pray it won't be like the promise made by my Otueke hero display below.

God bless Nigeria.

Because its you sha....

Hahahahahahahha buari govt is full of clowns. u tink say e easy to govern nigeria after blaming GEJ for destroying d con3, d dude don resort to begging as him new style of governance good. make him prostrate for ground beg properly with tears of blood for him eye before we listen to am. no be una say governance no be rocket science let him taste wat it feels like to handle 3 ministries. I WILL NOT SWALLOW ANY PILL! yeye pipul.

This government has never taken responsibilities... it's either compiling suffer for the masses or blaming past government. Ameachi came with the dumb idea of reintroducing toll gates, PMB and minister of petroleum came with subsidy. Now Fashola is here with high "poor electricity supply" tariff. This is same government that has been busy chasing away investors and crippling growing business with bad policies. When will the masses have a breadth of relieve in this govt? #proudly5%

What's my own? I can't pay more than 2k every month for my bills. Nepa sef know that one.

Waiting for them to blame someone for the hike, its seems Lair Mohammed is busy at the moment......

They live in affluence and want us to accept suffering and pain. Na zombies cause this.

One thing that I know 4 sure is that Gos Is always God. One day he will hear the cries of the poor and strike all Nigerian politicians with thunder cos all av failed.

I'm soo disappointed with APC.

itokam:
Hmmm...the past government na fuel subsidy, this one na electricity subsidy I guess

past government approved the hike but suspended the implementation till after election. they increased high ends, R3 and R4 in January 2015.

Ephemmm:
“This is a problem that has been here for 16 years, if we put it mildly. It is a problem that has been here 100 years ago, if we put it really extremely. I have been here for less than a 100 days, and I think we can solve this problem if you give us the tools that we need to do it"

"The minister, who faulted the way the privatisation of the power sector was carried out...".

When Telecommunication was privatized, every Nigerian have the opportunity to own at least a line as a result of overwhelming competition among the service providers. In fact, my MTN SIM was even given to me free of charge when the competition reached its peak. Though not a fan of OBJ, but I give OBJ credit on this one.


Back to the topic, the question begging for answer is - what has been the resultant positive effect of privatizing energy sector by Goat Goodluck Jonathan? The only thing I noticed was increment in tariff: without improvement.

APC is back at the increment now: what confidence do public have in this administration? I pray it won't be like the promise made by my Otueke hero display below.

God bless Nigeria.

you be real mumu

They are talking of Fashola begging people to accept suffering and you are here talking of Jonathan who you asked to go and sit down over 8months ago. I am sure you want to take your bitterness to your grave.

The fact at hand right now is that Fashola is begging YOU to accept suffering deal with it.

And back to the topic before you yeye-ishly derailed the topic....the yeye minister could not even say to nigerians "see we have done our mathematics and you will only suffer for so and so time because the extra money you will pay from so and so time will be used to fix the problem"
Over sabi zombies everywhere

To cushion the effect the government should increase minimum wage, anything short of that will not be accepted.

God punish am

Lionsclaw:
you be real mumu

They are talking of Fashola begging people to accept suffering and you are here talking of Jonathan who you asked to go and sit down over 8months ago. I am sure you want to take your bitterness to your grave.

The fact at hand right now is that Fashola is begging YOU to accept suffering deal with it.

And back to the topic before you yeye-ishly derailed the topic....the yeye minister could not even say to nigerians "see we have done our mathematics and you will only suffer for so and so time because the extra money you will pay from so and so time will be used to fix the problem"
Over sabi zombies everywhere

Summary please! Cos all I see here is lamentation.

My God pass them.
we keep suffering while d keep smiling, stealing and traveling with our money.

I recently asked them to come n cut the light, when d increase our bill from 5k to 25k, beside I no d c d light.

Even Nepa know I will not pay more than what I use to pay in a month. yeye people

Ephemmm:


Summary please! Cos all I see here is lamentation.

excellent man

I am lamenting about how your lamentation over a long gone jonathan is killing you slowly.

Haaa I wipe for u

drss:
Hahahahahahahha buari govt is full of clowns. u tink say e easy to govern nigeria after blaming GEJ for destroying d con3, d dude don resort to begging as him new style of governance good. make him prostrate for ground beg properly with tears of blood for him eye before we listen to am. no be una say governance no be rocket science let him taste wat it feels like to handle 3 ministries. I WILL NOT SWALLOW ANY PILL! yeye pipul.

my broda, I tire for dem o. dem say e no be rocket science, yet Oga don go leave in less Dan a year. dem Neva see anything.

More CHANGES to come!