@blink

That is the truth o, communication lines are important for a country to develop ( I no mean GSM o)

^^^
Nigeria has got to wake up

Buhari, you are lying!

Crude Oil:

Buhari, you are lying!

I have more confidence in private investors providing power as a business than any government in Nigeria. The problem is the government runs power supply as a social service thereby charging uneconomic prices that would not allow for cost recovery. How can power infrastructure be maintained and expanded when cost of inputs far exceeds prices of the output (electricity)?

Why do we do the same thing for the past 50 years over and over and expect a different result? A situation when you have politicians awarding power contracts to themselves (like Elumelu), girlfriends (like Imoke) dads (like Bankole) will never make power available. Only profit oriented power companies have a powerful interest in producing 24/7 not the incompetent and graft riddled politicians and staff of the PHCN.


As long as the government runs the power system as a monopoly, we will get the same result. Has anyone wondered why one of the only places where you find 24 hr electricity in Nigeria is in Bonny where the system is run by the Bonny Utility Company (BUC) and in Jos where the system is run by NESCO. The above are private power companies in Naija and they do their own generation, transmission and distribution. Look them up!!

kalokalo:


I have more confidence in private investors providing power as a business than any government in Nigeria. The problem is the government runs power supply as a social service thereby charging uneconomic prices that would not allow for cost recovery. How can power infrastructure be maintained and expanded when cost of inputs far exceeds prices of the output (electricity)?

Why do we do the same thing for the past 50 years over and over and expect a different result? A situation when you have politicians awarding power contracts to themselves (like Elumelu), girlfriends (like Imoke) dads (like Bankole) will never make power available. Only profit oriented power companies have a powerful interest in producing 24/7 not the incompetent and graft riddled politicians and staff of the PHCN.


As long as the government runs the power system as a monopoly, we will get the same result. Has anyone wondered why one of the only places where you find 24 hr electricity in Nigeria is in Bonny where the system is run by the Bonny Utility Company (BUC) and in Jos where the system is run by NESCO. The above are private power companies in Naija and they do their own generation, transmission and distribution. Look them up!!

I love your point but Nigerians cant afford that now that is why the govt needs to do it. It will be a disaster if the private sector comes in, start charging higher rates but do not meet up demand. This country is one funny place govt should do it-credible govt. Lets give BB a chance

I want to believe it's possible, but how he's going to do it is what i want to hear, with private sectors allowed to come in, thereby having both government and private coy tackle it, then it's POSSIBLE to have 10,000 -15,000MW by the end of 2015.

blink182:

I love your point but Nigerians cant afford that now that is why the govt needs to do it. It will be a disaster if the private sector comes in, start charging higher rates but do not meet up demand. This country is one funny place govt should do it-credible govt. Lets give BB a chance

Not a good idea. Allocate some money to subsidize for the poor, maybe charge an extra tax for excess consumption. Things like that. But if the government keeps subsidizing electricity (as its doing now), then there will not be enough.

Imagine if the gov't forced all rice in Nigeria to be sold for less than the cost of production. And they used the excuse "Nigerians cannot afford the true price of rice right now." What do you think would happen?  All the rice farmers would shut down their farms and farm something else. Supply would plummet. Rice shortages everywhere. The few guys who are given import licences for rice would divert it and sell it on the black market. Or divert the rice to Benin Republic. Etc, etc. In other words, total disaster.

In general with these sorts of things, the more government interference (subsidies, price fixes, etc), the worse off we are. There are a few exceptions. . . but this ain't one of em.

Government needs to keep its nose out of basic commodities like electricity.

eku_bear:

Not a good idea. Allocate some money to subsidize for the poor, maybe charge an extra tax for excess consumption. Things like that. But if the government keeps subsidizing electricity (as its doing now), then there will not be enough.

Imagine if the gov't forced all rice in Nigeria to be sold for less than the cost of production. And they used the excuse "Nigerians cannot afford the true price of rice right now." What do you think would happen?  All the rice farmers would shut down their farms and farm something else. Supply would plummet. Rice shortages everywhere. The few guys who are given import licences for rice would divert it and sell it on the black market. Or divert the rice to Benin Republic. Etc, etc. In other words, total disaster.

In general with these sorts of things, the more government interference (subsidies, price fixes, etc), the worse off we are. There are a few exceptions. . . but this ain't one of em.

Government needs to keep its nose out of basic commodities like electricity.

Detailed and neat, when it comes to such issues I have too many things to say and end up putting my points haphazardly. Thanks mate

GEJ already has a well planned and in progress power framework which is actually visible all over the country.

2019? Not so fast BB, Nigerians will vote every four years, if you want another term you have to perform in 2011. We need electricity now! There is no excuse  as to why Nigerians are using generator. If you cannot achieve this, we will wait on Fashola to come and do magic in 2015.

hercules07:

An airport in each state has its merits, it might not be the most pressing need but it can be made viable, uyo is about 1 hour from Calabar and the airport is functioning properly despite the fact that there is little or no activity in that state, if we had a good governor in Oyo state, the airport in the state will be very viable. [/b]The ekiti man will prefer to fly his cocoa out of an Ekiti Airport, infact, if logistics is well done, courier companies can pick up exports from say Ekiti, deliver it to lagos and from there the item is sent overseas. [b]People consume Ghana pineapple harvested the same day in Europe, people can consume same day water melon in Lagos with the functioning airport in Gombe state. We need Government to put in infrastructure, business men will use the infrastructure to generate money.

You explained it better than I. People say they want true federalism and IMO the only way is to aid each state in getting access to the same opportunities other developed states have today.

blink182:

I love your point but Nigerians cant afford that now that is why the govt needs to do it. It will be a disaster if the private sector comes in, start charging higher rates but do not meet up demand. This country is one funny place govt should do it-credible govt. Lets give BB a chance

The Government has been heavily subsidizing cost of electricity for a long time now.If you check the budget, you will see we already spend in the high 100's of millions each year as a result. You are right that bringing in private entities will drive costs even higher and that is one of the worries we hope will be taken care of before privatization, not after.

TewMuch:

2019? Not so fast BB, Nigerians will vote every four years, if you want another term you have to perform in 2011. We need electricity now! There is no excuse  as to why Nigerians are using generator. If you cannot achieve this, we will wait on Fashola to come and do magic in 2015.

We have to get to a place where it does not depend on who is in office. It is clear we can't have electricity now. Government is still giving out contracts to build generating plants as we speak and it is going to take some years for those to mature.

Who does he think he is talking to? Almajiris?

What kind of lame statement is 'No Uninterrupted'?

^^^

That means there will be no light at all. The ding dong sharia goon will throw us into darkness till 2019. LOL

^^^ I see reading is a problem for you, huh?

^^^

Its u who has problem reading and understanding the english language.

What is the interpretation of "No uninterrupted"?

its best to have simply said Uninterrupted power supply till 2019, adding the no gives it the opposite of the intended statement. Miss Kobojunkie.

As regards airports, I think the problem many have is thinking all airports have to be as big as the one in Lagos or Abuja.
We should realise that the size of an airport would greatly depend on the traffic expected and as such, does not really have to drain Govt's pocket.

As for other positive reasons why airports in every state will be a good idea, others have said it better than I prolly would.

Newscaster:

^^^

Its u who has problem reading and understanding the english language.

What is the interpretation of "No uninterrupted"?

its best to have simply said Uninterrupted power supply till 2019, adding the no gives it the opposite of the intended statement. Miss Kobojunkie.

^^^ the @Poster TYPED that himself. It is not a direct quote. It has nothing to do with sharia or even Buhari. Learn to READ as one day it will save your life!

proudly9ja:

As regards airports, I think the problem many have is thinking all airports have to be as big as the one in Lagos or Abuja.
We should realise that the size of an airport would greatly depend on the traffic expected and as such, does not really have to drain Govt's pocket.

As for other positive reasons why airports in every state will be a good idea, others have said it better than I prolly would.

Personally, I don't think it is a good idea. But my larger point is, rather than having eku_bear, the FG, or anyone else decide, let the states decide themselves. This is better than a one-size-fits-all solution.

Kobojunkie:

Actually you are wrong in stating that all points in Bauchi, the state is two hours from Jos.

I never stated that all points in Bauchi are two hours from Jos. You deliberately twist my words. Bauchi town is under two hours drive fromJos, any anyone with a smigden of knowledge about the geography of that region of the country would know I was not referring to all points in Bauchi.

Kobojunkie:

I live in a Chicago and between two INTERNATIONAL airports each 30 minutes away from me. The population of this city is about less than that of Bauchi state( which is about 4 - 5million) so, I ask again, if an airport is situated within this state( doesn't have to be even 1/10th the size of O'Hare), are you for sure that no good portion of the people and businesses currently in that state would gain tremendously from this?

Apples and oranges. I also currently live in Chicago and I know that the GDP of Chicago far outweighs that of Bauchi. In fact Bauchi state cannot be compared to Cook county alone talkless of the whole of Chicago in terms of economic productivity. O'Hare and Midway handle hundreds of flights daily. . .far more than Nigeria's busiest airport MMIA.

Kobojunkie:

So, what has goats and rams to do with viability of an airport?

You 've been following the news haven't you? If the Bauchi airport was a viable enterprise handling several flights a day, would goats and rams have been wandering around on the runway?

Kobojunkie:

Also, you will need to check the FAAN to know how many flights fly out of Bauchi weekly, but I did find some private companies that charter flights in and out of the airport.Like someone already mentioned earlier, airports do not all have to be massive developments.

Dude, there zero flights into Bauchi airport by any of Nigeria's private airlines. an occasional charter flight may drop in from time to time. How many of the people you want to build airports for can charter flights. They need to be educated. They need better healthcare. They need access to lines of credit that can help them become economically productive. But instead of putting forward ideas that will raise the per capita income of these disadvantaged regions and rehabilitate the street children of Northern Nigeria; this wanna be president is talking about building an airport in each state. A clear sign of no ideas.

Kobojunkie:

Lagos did not become an economic hub BEFORE MMIA was built; it grew into one as a result. Not the other way around!

Really? Lagos only became an economic hub after MMIA was built? Where did you get this notion from? Lagos was the capital. As the capital and a major seaport, it attracted investment more especially during the heady oil windfall days of the 70s. The influx of investment and increased travel then necessitated the building of MMIA. Do you know in what year it was built. MMIA was built in 1979. It wasn't the building of MMIA that triggered Lagos' rise as an economic hub. I fear you mistake effect for cause.

aletheia:

I never stated that all points in Bauchi are two hours from Jos. You deliberately twist my words. Bauchi town is under two hours drive fromJos, any anyone with a smigdeon of knowledge about the geography of that region of the country would know I was not referring to all points in Bauchi.

I don’t know what you are going on about now since I would think the reason you mentioned Bauchi was supposedly to claim since the distance is only 2 hours, there is no need for another. 

aletheia:

Apples and oranges. I also currently live in Chicago and I know that the GDP of Chicago far outweighs that of Bauchi. In fact Bauchi state cannot be compared to Cook county alone talkless of the whole of Chicago in terms of economic productivity. O'Hare and Midway handle hundreds of flights daily. . .far more than Nigeria's busiest airport MMIA.

Again, YOU came up with the distance argument and I countered it by pointing out that proximity to an airport in another state SHOULD NOT be suggested as substantial reason for why a state, any state, should not get an airport.  lol

aletheia:

You 've been following the news haven't you? If the Bauchi airport was a viable enterprise handling several flights a day, would goats and rams have been wandering around on the runway?

What the heck? You keep bringing this up and I have no clue what that has to do with viability. Of course there are airports around the world where before each flight takes off, staff goes out to clear the runways of animals etc. STOP using goats and rams as reason against an airport. IT DOES NOT WORK. Lol
http://coloradoairporthistory.com/stories/story-crawford.htm

I am not excusing this but pretending that the presence of animals(goats, sheep, geese, doves,cows, alpacas etc) on the tarmac, or runway explains that an airport is not viable is ridiculous logic.

aletheia:

Dude, there zero flights into Bauchi airport by any of Nigeria's private airlines. How many of the people you want to build airports for can charter flights. They need to be educated. They need better healthcare. They need access to lines of credit that can help them become economically productive. But instead of putting forward ideas that will raise the per capita income of these disadvantaged regions and rehabilitate the street children of Northern Nigeria; this wanna be president is talking about building an airport in each state. A clear sign of no ideas.

I am sorry but now you are just stretching. IF a company CHOOSES to offer private flights in and out of an airport, you know what it means? IT MEANS there is a demand that they are probably feeding and so please stick to logic.
Every state in Nigeria needs healthcare, education, etc. That SHOULD NOT be reason why the same states should not pursue advancement in other areas.
I asked you earlier how exactly you want the government to improve the standard of living for these people and you never answered. So, I ask again, are you suggesting that the government gives out free money to the people? Are you suggesting that the government become a bank and loan people money now? Are you suggesting that the government instead act as a nanny state for the many disabled by giving them food and shelter each day, instead of investing that money in developing infrastructure that could potentially bring in investors to help boost the local economy instead?

aletheia:

Really? Lagos only became an economic hub after MMIA was built? Where did you get this notion from? Lagos was the capital. As the capital and a major seaport, it attracted investment more especially during the heady oil windfall days of the 70s. The influx of investment and increased travel then necessitated the building of MMIA. Do you know in what year it was built. MMIA was built in 1979. It wasn't the building of MMIA that triggered Lagos' rise as an economic hub. I fear you mistake effect for cause.

Wrong! Lagos was the capital but even up to the late 70’, it had not experienced so much of an explosion as it did AFTER MMIA was constructed.  Go check your history. This was about the same time that Jakande came in and rapidly developed that state as well, to cater to the expansion that the state witnessed as a result of the port and the airport.  I believe the population was still less than 4 million about that time. But the infusion of cash from the federal into various other areas saw the city move from capital status to city status in less than a decade.   

Try to look past the fact that this is being suggested as a federal project for a second to see how an airport will open up the rest of Nigeria to outsiders and opportunities, help decentralize the country and give people in remote places in the North a better chance of competing with the rest of the country. Like I said earlier, I made the same mistake when Owerri was being constructed but today, much of the traffic to the east goes through that airport, an improvement from when it used to be barely a flight a week about a year after it was completed.

OBJ and Bola Ige said this in 1999,11 years later, we are back to square one. It's not going to happen

already making unrealistic promises. . . . . . . .

I have been saying this and  I am happy some people are seeing the same thing.
Buhari only recognizes the problem like everyone, condemns Fee dee Fee and goes ahead to make a promise with road map  as vague as the direction of loud fart from the anus.

How is he going to deliver what he has promised? No clear plan- vague vague because he has no clue.
The promise is so unrealistic raising hope as he did in 1984 January.

That simply means he will ban the supply/importation of UPS for 8 years

what's all this talk of airport this & airport that? How much does it cost 2 build an airport anyway? The sizes of airports vary. You can have a small building that can accommodate 250-500 people at a go but construct a tarmac that can take-off & land a boeing 747 so what's the point. It could cost less than a billion 2 2billion to construct a small airport. Use smaller aircrafts like what arik uses e.g. d bombadier & falcons there by making it possible to decongest d roads. Besides it could enable d effective movement of perishable cargoes around d country. I personally think there should be 2 or 3 more smaller airports in Lagos to land helicopters, choppers, light aircrafts as well as smaller planes. At least d billionaires in Naira in our mist can own and regularly operate smaller/lighter aircrafts. They also can be of use in large scale mechanized farming as launch base for aerial fumigators. That in itself can create a whole new set of employment.
These are some of the reasons I'm supporting d BB campaign because I know & I'm convinced that he will run a cheaper government. For instance in d construction of a new small airport his administration will award such a contact for say N500m as compared to any other that might be in d region of N3-6B. We need funds for the rapid development of Nigeria so they must be used judiciously. Looking at this governments contracts awarded so far there is absolutely no reason why we should be looking at a budget deficit. Graft coupled with outrageous salaries for political office holders puts us in d red. Buhari in 1984-5 gave this country a surplus. A surplus which this country has last experienced.

Whichever way we look at it, this is our lifetime opportunity to kick PDP out of Nigeria and out of our lives.
They are not fit for purpose, they have done it for 12years and nothing to show for it.
They are parties of people united with only one purpose, - to loot the national treasury.


'Kick Polio PDP out of Power'!!!

OBJ endorses Buhari for President

"Muhammadu Buhari as a member of the Supreme Military Council & as the head of the petroleum dept was by nature taciturn & introvert. But he took any work given to him very seriously & if he failed at whatever he did, it would not be because he did not put his best, in fact, his very best. He was as reliable as he was hard working & HONEST" – Olusegun Obasanjo ("Not My Will", University Press Ltd., Ibadan, 1990, Pg 59)

Vote CPC, Vote Muhammadu Buhari for President.