Electricity Supply: Which Way Nigeria? (Being An Open Letter To Minister of Power, Works & Housing)

Dear Minister,

I write to you as a concerned citizen, an unrepentant fan of yours and one who has been adversely affected by the nefarious effect of epileptic power supply. I have no doubt you meant well for this country, and obviously, want the problem of poor or lack of power supply to be put behind us as a people and as a nation. This is evident in your constant visitation to electricity facilities since the outset of your appointment as Minister, the regular Town Hall Meetings on the sector, the frequent interface with the key players in the sector, and honest opinion on the issue in public functions and fora.

In particular, I cannot but applaud your apt analysis on Channels TV last week especially as relating to the metering issue when you submitted that the present acclaimed number of supposed meter needs of the country cannot be adequate and accurate. The statistics you gave were factual and logical, though may lack empirical verification.

In fact, the rapid increase in the megawatts generated from 3000 to 5000 megawatts sometimes after your assumption office was not only encouraging but equally applaudable until vandalization by Niger Delta militants dashed the hope of the country in that regard. Even with that, I still have hope that the Buhari's regime quest for 10000 megawatts is possible before the end of the tenure except that the DISCOs may not have the capacity to distribute as suggested by you sir.

As an undergraduate, I was one of the ardent supporters of privatization of NEPA then but not the way it was done by the last administration. This is because the essence of privatization is to promote efficiency in service delivery and if that goal is not being achieved, then it is a mere waste of time and resources.

Ordinarily, one would have expected that the buyers of PHCN will be people with needed competence and resources, but like our way in this country, it was done on the basis of padi padi, hence the present quagmire will find ourselves.

Sir, if the present status quo is not producing the needed results, then, there may need for a rethink, and here comes my argument and suggestions for the way forward for the power sector under your watch.

First, there may need for a reversal of the sales of PHCN from the present stakeholders as they have shown to lack the needed capacity and wherewithal, but this is not to say, privatisation is not the way forward, though commercialisation may be a more preferable option especially if considering employing the service of foreign-owned companies like General Electric.

Secondly, there is the need for the amendment of the Constitution so as to ensure that electricity is removed from exclusive list and place under residual list thereby giving States the opportunity to generate and distribute their own energy without recourse to the national grid.

I believe there is a need for a yearly National Energy Summit whereby local and external experts will dissect the various problems confronting the sector with a view to providing the needed solutions. Such forum should be used to explore various technical policy options for the country.

Furthermore, a gradual ban may need to be placed on the supply of generators in the country, while big corporations and critical institutions are allowed to buy power directly from GENCOs to meet their energy need. Companies who lacked the needed resources could partner with one another and buy such energy for their industrial  use. This could be achieved in five years plan.

Honourable Minister, you have been a role model to me and I know quite a number of youths who share your ideals in and outside the country and who are wishing and praying for you to succeed in your quest to make power available to all Nigerians homes. This is because if you succeed, you would have solved more than 70% of Nigeria and Nigerians socio-economic and by inference some political problems.

This I say because I know quite a number of businesses that have died because of lack of constant power supply, and sizeable numbers who are struggling to survive for the same reason. I tell you for free sir, have been a victim too. This is because most of the social crimes, violence, unrest, and agitations in the country today are products of frustration and poverty arising from idleness and malfunctioning system.

And if the Buhari's regime and of which you are a critical stakeholder will succeed in diversifying the economy, then power supply has to be provided. This is because the growth of any economy is to a large extent depended on the success of SMEs, and which the non-availability of energy is killing every day. This is partly responsible for the lack of trans-generational business in our country.

Thank you Sir.

God bless you!

God bless Nigeria!!