₦airaland Forum

ABEOKUTA—Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed the problems ravaging the power sector in the country to his successors, saying, they abandoned the sector.

Obasanjo said he had tried to ensure stable power supply since 1979 when he was Military Head of State and when he returned as civilian President in 1999 but, his successors abandoned the sector thereby making it moribund.

The former President stated this yesterday at a programme tagged First Green Legacy Moment with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Leadership and Human Security in Africa, in Abeokuta.

powerpix-newObasanjo who submitted that part of the problems facing the country is lack of political will by Nigerian leaders, warned that power should not be privatised to friends.

He said: “Part of our problems is lack of political will on the part of the leaders.What does a leader understands about development, any leader worth its salt should know that power is very important. It is the driver of all development be it social, economic, and even political.

“When I was military head of state, I developed the Jebba dam, I developed Shirroro, I started Egbin. Shagari came and completed Egbin and commissioned Jebba and Shirroro.

Between Shagari in 1983, until I came back in 1999, there was no single dime invested in power generation. If anything, the ones that were there were allowed to go down.

“A country like Nigeria must be adding not less than two thousand mega watts if we are to be moving on the path of development.

“If you will remember, when I came back in 1999, my first Minister of Power was late Bola Ige. I won’t say Bola didn’t know what he was doing and he said publicly that he would fix the power problems in six months.

“After one year, Bola with his capacity couldn’t fathom what was wrong with power. It was riddled with corruption. Then we had no money, people have forgotten that in 1999/2000, the price of crude oil was US $9 per barrel. So, I wanted the oil companies; Mobil, Total and they wouldn’t go along.

“When we started having money, we started the National Integrated Power Plant . When we said the money we had should be invested in power, my successor didn’t understand, he stopped it.

“If for almost 20 years we did not achieve anything in power generation, then we may not be able to get it again.

“Let me give you an example: the population of South Africa is 55 million and they generate 45,000 megawatts. Our population today is about 180 million people and could not generate 4,000 megawatts. And South Africa is an industrialising country and not an industrialised nation.

“For us to say that we are industrialising country, we must be generating much more than what South Africa is generating, say 100,000 mega watts. What year will Nigeria get there if we are adding 2,000 mega watts each year? For us to get to 100, 000 mega watts, I leave the mathematics to you. It sounds very discouraging but that is the reality”, he said.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/successors-abandoned-power-sector-obasanjo/

Obasanjo should please shut up. He should just keep quiet and enjoy the money the stole silently..

Chai

gudluck beta pass you

PLEASE CAN SOME1 EDUCATE ME ON WAT OBJ DID ABOUT POWA SUSTAINABILITY WHILE HE WAS IN OFFICE (BOTH MILI AND CIVI ERAS)

While OBJ squandered $32b building Gas Power plants - Jonathan sold the entire National Power Sector to his cronies (Abdusalami Abubakar and Emeka Ofor). Jonathan is always suppressing every record of corruption anyone can set.

it is true ooo!
during obj time we were getting light 28 hours every day.

as soon as he left office,
he took the keys to the generator.
nobody knows how to operate the power again.

baba na!! No fall my hand o!!! We knw wetin u do o!!!!

Ikpewe:
PLEASE CAN SOME1 EDUCATE ME ON WAT OBJ DID ABOUT POWA SUSTAINABILITY WHILE HE WAS IN OFFICE (BOTH MILI AND CIVI ERAS)

The Old man have explained himself from the statements above. Do you read it at all. What do you expected him do again. He is the only president that have invested so much in the power sector.

manutdadex:
baba na!! No fall my hand o!!! We knw wetin u do o!!!!

Please, tell us. What did he do?

egift:
While OBJ squandered $32b building Gas Power plants - Jonathan sold the entire National Power Sector to his cronies (Abdusalami Abubakar and Emeka Ofor). Jonathan is always suppressing every record of corruption anyone can set.

Baba didn't squandered all that money you mention but rather the Gas power plant projects was sabotage by some political enemies during President Yaradua era by painting baba as corrupt. Instead for President Yaradua to continue the project Obj started, he was busy witch hunting the power sector and yet Obj was not found culpable of anything. While the power equipments that was purchased languish and rust away at both the Onne and Lagos port. Up to today you will still find those massive power equipments in Onne port.
So, my brother the issue with nigeria power can never be blamed on Obj. The man tried his best to upgrade the system.

It's going to be the 8th wonder of the world when Nigeria finally overcomes her power challenges.
It would mean that we succeeded in overcoming the generator cabals and those interested in making gains from the country's woes.
It would be a major step forward as politicians will now have to include more innovative plans in their campaign manifestos and not like the present case where everyone is using power generation as a major campaign point.

tobiit:
Please, tell us. What did he do?

if u dont knw, consult one of d daily's archive or ask older men abt it...dont bother me wit dat kind question abeg its too early

nikky5:
“If you will remember, when I came back in 1999, my first Minister of Power was late Bola Ige. I won’t say Bola didn’t know what he was doing and he said publicly that he would fix the power problems in six months.

“After one year, Bola with his capacity couldn’t fathom what was wrong with power. It was riddled with corruption.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/successors-abandoned-power-sector-obasanjo/

Baba Obasanjo is an elder and he ought to know how not to bring the memory of a dear one into disrepute. Whatever you sow; you shall reap sir.

Simply put, Nigerian Government, most especially Jonathan's is allergic to upright men. Check Barth Nnaji and Sanusi as case studies. Obasanjo chose the best cabinet ever in Nigerian history which changed our economic status. People like Akunyili, Okonjo Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili, Soludo, Ribadu, El-Rufai, Ndukwe etc. He permitted Barth Nnaji to build the 1st private power plant in Nigeria located in Aba because he knew Barth would succeed. Today Geometric power is complete and Aba should have been power sufficient but for Emeka Offor and other stupid men who plan to frustrate it for a reason I don't know. Whatever the issue, Geometric should not be left lying fallow, Obasanjo would never have tolerated such nonsense.

Obasanjo is the most corrupt former civilian president in the history of the world

dazey:
Obasanjo is the most corrupt former civilian president in the history of the world

Am unable to imagine the Adjective you will use in describing that of Jonathan

tobiit:
Baba didn't squandered all that money you mention but rather the Gas power plant projects was sabotage by some political enemies during President Yaradua era by painting baba as corrupt. Instead for President Yaradua to continue the project Obj started, he was busy witch hunting the power sector and yet Obj was not found culpable of anything. While the power equipments that was purchased languish and rust away at both the Onne and Lagos port. Up to today you will still find those massive power equipments in Onne port.
So, my brother the issue with nigeria power can never be blamed on Obj. The man tried his best to upgrade the system.

Tell them bro. Some people on this platform are just too lazy to research into an issue before making assertions based on what they have been fed with by hired journalists and biased government officials. The power sector reforms and development started by Obj were stopped by Yar'adua, who was probing what was non existent. All the ongoing and recently commisisoned power projects by GEJ were started by Obj, but derailed by Ya'ardua's administration. Even President Goodluck knows this fact.

Just wondering how some people on this platform are just too lazy to research into an issue before making assertions based on what they have been fed with by hired journalists and biased government officials. The power sector reforms and development started by Obj were stopped by Yar'adua, who was probing what was non existent. All the ongoing and recently commisisoned power projects by GEJ were started by Obj, but derailed by Ya'ardua's administration. Even President Goodluck knows this fact.

tobiit:
The Old man have explained himself from the statements above. Do you read it at all. What do you expected him do again. He is the only president that have invested so much in the power sector.

STORY STORRRRRY ......................

Shine1177:
Baba Obasanjo is an elder and he ought to know how not to bring the memory of a dear one into disrepute. Whatever you sow; you shall reap sir.

He merely stated the facts for posterity. He did didn't disparage the memories of Bola Ige. It is true Chief Bola Ige underestimated the extent of corruption in the power sector.
The problems are obviously still there because the power sector has not progressed a lot further than where Bola Ige left it.