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Erratic power supply: Nnaji apologises, says better days are ahead



May 1, 2012 | 7:15 am

News

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE & NNENNA EZEAH
LAGOS — Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, has apologised to Nigerians for the erratic power situation in the country and urged them to exercise patience, saying the government is working hard to address the epileptic power situation in the country.

He made this appeal in Lagos, yesterday, at a media briefing in collaboration with the organised private sector following the recent system collapse in the sector that threw the nation in total darkness.

He said: “We are deeply concerned about the recent experiences of Nigerians with reference to the erratic delivery of power supply for domestic and industrial uses. The entire power sector finds it extremely important to express to Nigerians our deep regrets for this happening.”

He attributed the power collapse to the low level of water in the some of the power plants and shortage of gas supply, inadequate human capacity and insufficient system synergy..

The minister assured Nigerians that the stage was now set for a change “and we shall begin to see better days, months and unending years of stable power supply.

“We have the short term, medium term and long term solution to power supply in the country and the Minister of Petroleum Resources is ready to collaborate with us to ensure that we receive adequate gas supply to our gas power plants.”

He promised that in the short term which is in two to seven months, nationwide, there would be moderately improved power supply and a renewed distribution level as there would have been completion, operation of some new power generating plants, transmission lines and a more developed distribution pattern.

The medium term which is 2013 to 2015 will allow for the privatisation of the generating and distribution centers, which will then give higher efficiency and have input of high funding levels to increase power supply to Nigerians.

He said: “However, key to the citizens of Nigeria is the fact that the divestment plan by the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, will be conducted in a transparent manner to give Nigeria and Nigerians the best investors in this sector”.

Long term which is 2015 to 2020 will be an increased diversification into renewable energy sources that will include small and medium hydropower, solar, bio-waste to energy, coal etc.

In the same light, the minister launched electricity customer service web portal which will enable Nigerians to engage in more robust interactive, transparent power governance in the country as it is made open to the public to make complaints which will be addressed by the people operating in their areas.