Gbawe:

By selling DISCO to Abdulsalami and co with no previous capacity or expertise to operate in the sector? What caused the fuel subsidy scam again? Look, the privatisation of the power sector is a good thing but there should always be the flexibility to give deserving States the chance to craft unique solutions to match their own specific needs. State privatisation should be an option if we are in a purist federal arrangement. This will not be the first time the FG has played politics to impede the progress of Lagos. OBJ even made it virtually FG policy to say an outright No, even before he has considered the argument, to anything Lagos suggested.

Not too long ago on this forum we all praised the coming of legislation to allow States generate and distribute power. Is that not virtually State privatised power solution? Is it then not inane that States cannot submit bids to run Distribution Companies? What is the problem, when legislation is already in place giving States distribution autonomy in the sector, with letting Lagos acquire distribution Companies within it's border?

When has privatisation meant excluding States from bidding meritoriously for considerations that should be open to all? Is it not obvious that this is then no longer "privatisation" in the strict sense of the word? Look deeper and , like the fuel subsidy scam, you will see the same desire for a few to keep their hands in the cookie jar through favoured/selected cronies. Tell me where this rejection puts the thread below where virtually all Nairalanders, including myself, praised the positive effort of the FG. Logically inspected, without sentiments and in view of latest developments backed by legislation, does the refusal of the FG not appear like sabotage of Lagos to you?

https://www.nairaland.com/818599/states-begin-power-distribution-january

ol2012: 2 answer d bolded, yes d legislation I think prohibits state govts from biding directly 4 DISCOs. If u'v been following d process u'l remember d govts of Ondo, Ekiti, Delta & Edo states actually setup a private consortium together with other organizations 2 bid 4 Benin DISCO. D bid was disqualified 4 2 reasons according 2 d Chairman of d NCP technical committee(Atedo Peterside) overseeing d process. D consortium submitted 2 different bids against d rules & non of d 2 even met d requirements as contained in d bid document. Lagos state govt had d option of patnering wit any of d consortia dat bidded 4 Eko & Ikeja discos since they were well aware of d legislation. I'm not sure they did though.

ol2012: As 4 ur concerns xpressed in d bolded, d FG is still holding on 2 d transmission segment of d power sector(Obviously d most critical). As such dat shouldn't really be a concern. While I'm not a jonathan admirer, I strongly believe he appears 2 be serious wit dis power issue. Maybe Nigerians just need 2 be a bit patient.

IOMN:

I cannot possibly understand why in the world solar energy has not been adopted. It absolutely baffles me. It seems like a complete no brainer. It would especially solve the rural access issue. The process is not as intricate as installing electrical power lines either. I think solar is roughly almost 90 percent cheaper to install. I am getting angrier just thinking about it . I think the only reason why there is not a widespread adoption is probably because the profit margins are considerably smaller.

ShalomNigeria:
I hope people have been following your explanation rather than their PDP vs APC/ACN positions. To support your points, The Port Harcourt DISCO was actually won by a consortium comprising of Some Niger Delta states and a technical partner. The truth is Lagos should have been serious then if the state was really interested knowing that the two DISCOS will attracts financial heavy weights because of their prospects. I am praying that the youth of our country (which I believe this forum boost of reasonable percentage)will be more objective in their criticisms of political office holders. We should be wise enough to know that Nigerian politicians are the same and the beautiful ones are not yet born. Or what should we say of the reason given to increase the tenure of local governments excos in Lagos. If they are saying a LG chairman will need a year to familiarized with his local govt (a place that is assumed to be is constituency and already aware of events within), how long should it take a governor and a president to know the state and country respectively? The earlier we let them know we are not ignorant of their deceptions, the better they will all take the issue of accountability in governance seriously.

ceejay80s: When will FG sell 3rd mainland bridge?

ol2012: D power project being promoted by d Rivers state govt is a GENERATION & not a DISTRIBUTION company. All distribution companies unbundled from PHCN were offered 2 d private sector with about 10% stake(not sure) reserved 4 govts of their host states. The power sector reform act makes provision for every interested investor(local/foreign)as well as govts(federal, state & even financially capable local govts) 2 invest in d power GENERATION segment of d emerging power market.

ZUBY77: Dear Lagos state,
The federal govt is trying to privatize these things for effective management. Why would it sell it to another govt establishment?
Govt regimes are bound to change every four or eight years in every state. How do you plan to transit from the current govt to the future one especially when it comes to these structures. No, we want it in the hands of individual companies .

I will not be surprised when the bigots turn this into ACN vs PDP

BetaThings:

No, I cannot imagine. I have 3 lines, all of them are the same, govt or no govt.
I am sure that you might be thinking of moving from MTN to Glo while your hubby is porting from Glo to MTN
I was thinking that NCC will allow us to Port to Verizon or T Mobile

Billyonaire: If Lagos State is serious, they should rather invest in GENCOs and not DISCOs, who will generate Power for them to Distribute. This is Greediness, Federal Government should not sell any DISCOs to Lagos. When other States were building IPPs, Lagos was busy building Toll-Gates.

Goddex:

Let Fashola provide Lagosians with pipe-borne water.
Public water supply is almost entirely a state government affair.
We are forced to live on "satchet water" we don't know the source.
ACN propagada machine has a way of playing on our phsyche by blaming Fed Govt for every ill and making it look as if they love the people more.

thoth:

How do our people buy into this sort of reasoning? The Federal Government with its foreign neoliberal backers are trying to sell off every asset of interest to these financial vampires and that spells doom for Nigerians, in the name of privatization; Nigeria (meaning all the peripherals that marks its sovereignty) will be sold off, imagine where your federal government refuses to sell to the state but PREFERS a private investor, are you not alarmed ? how on earth can you link efficiency with private ownership ?

Rossikk:

It worked for telecoms.

Billyonaire: If Lagos State is serious, they should rather invest in GENCOs and not DISCOs, who will generate Power for them to Distribute. This is Greediness, Federal Government should not sell any DISCOs to Lagos. When other States were building IPPs, Lagos was busy building Toll-Gates.

thoth:

How do our people buy into this sort of reasoning? The Federal Government with its foreign neoliberal backers are trying to sell off every asset of interest to these financial vampires and that spells doom for Nigerians, in the name of privatization; Nigeria (meaning all the peripherals that marks its sovereignty) will be sold off, imagine where your federal government refuses to sell to the state but PREFERS a private investor, are you not alarmed ? how on earth can you link efficiency with private ownership ?

IOMN:

I cannot possibly understand why in the world solar energy has not been adopted. It absolutely baffles me. It seems like a complete no brainer. It would especially solve the rural access issue. The process is not as intricate as installing electrical power lines either. I think solar is roughly almost 90 percent cheaper to install. I am getting angrier just thinking about it . I think the only reason why there is not a widespread adoption is probably because the profit margins are considerably smaller.

phantom: you must have fallen from the moon...no offence!

eko ilee:


You mean the people of Lagos state and Nigerias do not deserve electricity until the state government give everybody water to drink? Is this your own warped idea of good public policy and administration?


Have you asked yourself why they still have water problem in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria?

1. Let's confine this to lagos state. The major reason why they are having water problem in Lagos state is because of the same power problem we are talking about, you need electricity to power pumps needed to get the water to the public 24/7 and you can not get water without power to power the pumps and in this area, your rubbish remains another ignorant and misplaced rubbish, your federal government is responsible for a major chunk of water problem in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria because of lack of 24/7 electricity.


2. Because the federal government's incompetency and corruption regarding power generation and distribution, Lagos state government end up puting up the resources to build IPP to power the 2 main water works for constant pumping of water, but the other water works across state are still at the mercy of the worthless federal eletricity.

3. Lagos state have built nothing less than 15 water works and to my knowledge, your useless and incompetent federal government is yet to build.



I've never seen a government elected and paid by the people work so hard to suppress and deny the same people growth and opportunities and you cheerleaders cheering them up are the even worse because for some dumb and re.tarded reasons, you people thinking prosperity and progress in Lagos state is not for every Nigerian or it's downfall wont touch every Nigerian.


You people and too sad and anti progress and humanity to belong to any sane society.

eko ilee:

The fact that you are too dull and lazy to articulate a suitable response to his points doesn't mean you have to spew the dumb and ignorant trash

Billyonaire: If Lagos State is serious, they should rather invest in GENCOs and not DISCOs, who will generate Power for them to Distribute. This is Greediness, Federal Government should not sell any DISCOs to Lagos. When other States were building IPPs, Lagos was busy building Toll-Gates.

Power: Again, Lagos sets the pace in IPP
on JUNE 15, 2011 · in FEATURES
12:00 am

By Yemie Adeoye and Charles Kumolu

Before 1999, the National Electric Power Authority,NEPA, had the sole monopoly of power generation and distribution in Nigeria. While there were suggestions on how to break that grip, Lagos State became the first state to do so with the initiation of Enron Power Project on August 1, 2009.

Consequently, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, Yinka Folawiyo Power Limited and Enron Corporation of the United States signed an agreement for an Independent Power Plant, IPP, with the Federal Government as the guarantor.

The barge-mounted electricity generating plant was to be located adjacent NEPA’s Egbin Power Station, Nigeria’s biggest power plant.

This idea later became contentious following claims that the power generated was being transmitted to the National Grid for the use of the entire country, instead of only Lagos and this bordered on alleged failure by the parties to honour contractual and business obligations.

Despite the controversy surrounding the Enron power project, the Federal Government accepted the wisdom in breaking the monopoly of NEPA, which has since rechristined itself the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. Hence the massive construction of power plants across the country and the planned privatisation of the ailing utility giant.

The impetus for this must have been the sustained calls for uninterrupted power supply in the country. Indeed not a few Nigerians have become impatient with the government over this highly embarrassing subject matter and this anger can only be felt with a short walk through the streets of major cities and towns across the country.

Angry mobs have attacked PHCN (the nation’s power utility company) stations in the past; some have waylaid and attacked official vehicles and personnel of PHCN, some have even killed staff of the utility company over electric power interruption during football matches. The list is endless.s

Faced with a situation that has seemingly defied every proposed solution, even as they keep paying for non-existent electricity supply they can only vent their anger on these innocent government workers who apparently are also experiencing incessant power outages in their various homes.

Assurances by the Federal Government at different times of planned improvement in the nation’s power generating capacity have all ended on a note of disappointment. Lanre Babalola, a doctorate degree holder was saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the Ministry of Power under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua administration. The very articulate, soft-spoken minister told the nation that there would be available to Nigerians before the end of December 2009, 6000 megawatts of electricity. That was never achieved before he got the boot after the demise of the President. Now the Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government has assured Nigerians of 13,000 Mw by 2013. But if the prevailing feeling is anything to go by, only few Nigerians have any confidence that the promise in this respect will ever come to fruition.

But the Lagos State government under the leadership of Governor Babatunde Fashola has decided to join the fray by embarking on an ambitious independent power project, with a targeted delivery time of about 18 months. According to the Governor, the target time frame “makes it the fastest ever executed Independent Power Project in Nigeria”.

The project which was done in conjunction with the Negris group immediately puts out of use a minimum of 30 diesel generating sets of between 100–1,000 KVA each, eliminating the inevitable pollution, noise and carbon monoxide caused by generators.

Speaking during the commissioning, Governor Fashola noted that the regulatory framework in the country had earlier made it difficult for state participation in such projects. “As you may be aware, the regulatory and statutory framework until recently restricted the involvement and participation of state governments in the provision of electric power. This constraint extended to both generation and distribution of electricity. Happily, as from the enactment of Electric Power Sector Reform Act, ESPRA, state governments and private investors alike may now partake in the business of provision and supply of electricity.

“With the change in the legal order we are able to use our innovative abilities to discharge our responsibility as a government to provide an enabling environment for the advancement of quality life style, trade and commerce, law and order, essential social services and the growth of small scale businesses, a crucial limb to the continuous development of any economy.

“In Lagos State today, industrialisation and general improvement in income and living conditions have resulted in increased demand for electricity. Recent date reveals that the power requirements of Lagos today is estimated at about 10,000-12,000 MW. This is in sharp contrast to the less than 1,000MW available to Lagos State from the national grid.

“The death of electricity has propelled our citizens to self-help, compelling them to be generators of their own electricity, resulting in emergence of all manners of domestic power generating sets. This has resulted in very high cost of electricity which unfortunately accounts for 30 per cent of operating costs of any business.

“This has many adverse social costs that are almost limitless in their dimension, erosion of disposable income for fuel to provide power, frustrations, health hazards, security failures, unemployment and so much more. Unfortunately, the provision of electricity and the management of power remains regrettably a matter of responsibility for the Federal Government which it is yet to discharge satisfactorily.

“As a Government that cares, we have refused to fold our arms. We have constantly kept to our promise to deliver; to continue to provide for the needs of the people of Lagos State. It is in keeping to this promise and the necessity to provide a platform for the promotion of the socio-economic well-being of the people that we commissioned the construction and development of this power plant,” he said.

[size=18pt]An elated Governor Fashola further informed that this was the third Independent power plant following the 270MW at Egbin, and the 12.5MW at Iju that the Lagos State Government is undertaking.[/size]

“As the bedrock of any development agenda, this administration has always considered the provision of stable power supply as being of the utmost priority. The provision of potable water, functional telecommunication services, security operations, traffic management, healthcare and education are all dependant on the availability of constant and stable electricity.

“Without recourse to any scientific analysis, it is without doubt that the demands for all of these services have tremendously increased in Lagos State, although we have had to improvise to provide power for their services. We have therefore by necessity become the laboratory for evolving home-grown solutions, through thinking and planning for our domestic challenges.

“We thought through the problem of powering critical public facilities like court houses and hospitals. We searched diligently for practical solutions. We subsequently found and collaborated with a reputable independent power producer. The result of that partnership is this 10MW electricity generating facility, the Island Power Project.

“The initiative of this project was induced by the necessity to consolidate the Justice Sector Reform agenda of the Lagos State Government. It was originally designed as a scheme which we tagged, “Powering Justice” proposed to supply electricity only to the Lagos State Government Court facilities in the Lagos Island axis, that is: High Court (Igbosere and Annex at TBS) and JIC Taylor Court House at Igbosere. The project was subsequently expanded to accommodate government health facilities and street lights on 20 streets along that corridor.

“This facility, built to highest global thermal operating plant standards will now provide 24 hours constant power supply to public facilities within the Lagos Island axis. The project, which includes an 18km dedicated underground distribution network, will supply power to the General Hospital (Lagos Island), the High Court, High Court Annex (TBS); JIC Taylor Court House, Igbosere; Maternity Hospital and the State House (Marina).

“The power plant will also provide electricity for the street lights on Broad Street, Tinubu Square, Bamgbose Street, Igbosere Road, Lawson Street, Moloney Street, Strachan Street, Okesuna Street, Hawley Street, Catholic Mission Street, Ganiyu Smith Street, Glover Street, Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Street, Brook Street, Joseph Street, Campos Street, Campbell Street, Ajele Street, Odunlami Street and Kakawa Street. In order to achieve this, the street lighting furniture on all of these 20 streets has been refurbished. The plant is powered by gas engines with diesel engines as backup.

“The commissioning of this plant immediately puts out of use a minimum of 30 diesel generating sets of between 100 – 1,000 KVA each, eliminating the inevitable pollution, noise and carbon monoxide caused by generators. This plant also has a vast cost-saving component to the state government of 46 per cent over project whole life cycle.

“An obvious benefit of the Island Power Project is its ability to drastically improve the reliability of power supply to the above mentioned government facilities from 35 to 100 per cent with the corresponding reduction in the operating costs and increased efficiency in this government facilities. It will also significantly improve the delivery of essential social services to the people of Lagos State.

“In a study recently carried out in the United Kingdom, it was demonstrated that street lighting is a more effective strategy of crime prevention as compared to CCTV. We expect therefore that since street lighting is an essential ingredient for improving security of any society, those streets covered by this project will only become more secure. The underlying advantage, however, is the improvement of law and order and the rejuvenation of night life economy in the axis.

“Cumulatively, the Island Power Project will be powering over 230 street light installations, 40 court rooms, eight operating theatres, a 153 chamber mortuary, 16 clinics/centres which include two HIV/AIDS clinics, two emergency centers that harbour three fully-equipped Lagos State emergency ambulances and a special babies unit.

“This project from conception to its commissioning today was undertaken in less than 18 months. This makes it the fastest ever executed Independent Power Project in Nigeria. It is also a further demonstration of the appreciation and commitment of the Government of Lagos State to the procurement and provision of infrastructure using the Public Private Partnership model.

“An interesting innovation of this project is that it comes with a 24 hour dedicated call centre for street light queries. This will ensure the immediate attention of relevant officials to issues relating to the street lights leading to the optimum utilization of the infrastructure.

“The people of Lagos State have been deprived of one of the essentials of decent living: constant, uninterrupted, affordable and clean electricity power supply for too long. This problem has its roots, amongst other things, in the lack of accurate data as to the actual power/energy requirements of the people of Lagos State. It is in view of this that the present administration in Lagos State has now embarked on a comprehensive state-wide power audit programme.

phantom: not surprised you didnt understand my reply.if you did, would have been shocked to my bones...lol.

ewet: WHEN WIL WE SEIZE TO PLAY POLITICS WITH EVRY THNG IN THIS COUNTRY.IF STATES SEE THE NEED TO TAKE POCESSION OF INSFRACTRUCTURE IN THEIR DOMAINS FROM THE FG SO BE IT.IF ANYTHNG GOES WRONG WE WILL KNW WHO TO BLAME.

I KNW THE LASG WILL DO A WONDERFULL TRANSFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL THEATHER BY MAKING IT AN EDIFICE OF WORLD REPUTE.AND ON POWER THE LASG WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT POWER FOR THE STATE AND BEYOND IF THY ARE HANDED THIS POWER COMPANIES.

ewet: WHEN WIL WE SEIZE TO PLAY POLITICS WITH EVRY THNG IN THIS COUNTRY.IF STATES SEE THE NEED TO TAKE POCESSION OF INSFRACTRUCTURE IN THEIR DOMAINS FROM THE FG SO BE IT.IF ANYTHNG GOES WRONG WE WILL KNW WHO TO BLAME.

I KNW THE LASG WILL DO A WONDERFULL TRANSFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL THEATHER BY MAKING IT AN EDIFICE OF WORLD REPUTE.AND ON POWER THE LASG WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT POWER FOR THE STATE AND BEYOND IF THY ARE HANDED THIS POWER COMPANIES.

Omexonomy: this is how fash and tinubu took over badagry expresway from fed govt and the expresway as now turn into something else. Only for them to start blaming fg again.

taharqa: This is d MOST IGNORANT comment on this thread, in spite of there bn many more of such comments here.... Plz keep yr Mouth SHUT wheneva you dont hv a clue about a tin. Just sm advice

Smooyis: But they control water corporation. Do you get regular water supply in your area? For many areas in Lagos we depend on boreholes and wells. So it is better power distribution is giving to the private bidders for efficient running of the sector.

Rather than help this country of 150 million people move closer to the MDGs, our investigations have shown that officials in government ministries, including that of water resources, are simply pocketing billions without executing projects for which they were released.

The water resources ministry (and the agencies under it) alone has mismanaged a huge chunk of the N320billion allocated to it to provide safe water for Nigeria ns and help the country attain the MDGs.

Water for MDGs

Provision of potable water is directly related to goal one of the MDGs and indirectly related to goals four, five and six. Potable water helps to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger while it also helps to reduce incidence of water borne diseases.

Due to the importance of potable water to the achievement of the MDGs, the Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Millennium Development Goals (OSSAP-MDGs) chose the Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR) as one of the 10 beneficiaries of funds meant to achieve the MDGs