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Tag: Fashola

  • Fashola to SERAP: we have no record of runaway contractors

    The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has said that it does not have records of names of contractors and companies that collected money for electricity projects and failed to executive any projects.

    The ministry stated this in its response to the request of Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Projects (SERAP) made sequel to a s

    The suit is seeking “an order for leave to apply for judicial review and an order of mandamus directing and/or compelling the minister, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) “to provide specific details on the names and whereabouts of the contractors who collected public funds meant for electricity projects but disappeared with the money without executing any projects.”

    However, in its letter dated January 27, 2019, the ministry said: “We have searched the Ministry’s record and the information you applied for is not held by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (Power Sector).”

    The letter signed by Director (Legal Services),  Mrs A.A. Shoetan, on behalf of the minister, read in part: “I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 4th January 2019 in which you applied for request to disclose details of alleged corrupt contractors and companies that collected money for electricity projects but failed to execute any projects. The request has been handled under the FOI Act.”

    Responding to the development, SERAP in a letter dated  February 8, 2019 and signed by its Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare said  public expectation is that government information, when in the hands of any public institutions and agencies, whould be available to the public, as prescribed by the FOI Act.

    “The FOI Act should always be used as an authority for disclosing information rather than withholding it.”

    “Indiscriminate attempts to limit disclosure of information of public interest such as the details of the names of alleged corrupt contractors and companies that SERAP is seeking, will undermine the government’s expressed commitment to transparency and accountability.

    “We believe that the predisposition by all public institutions and agencies including the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing should be to grant access to public information and not to implicitly deny it. Indeed, disclosure, not secrecy, is the dominant objective of the FOI Act.

    “This objective would be defeated if there is public perception that public institutions and agencies attempt to shield information of public interest from disclosure or abdicate statutory responsibilities”.

    SERAP reminded the minister of the suit it had filed in court for remedial action and seeking an order to compel you and your Ministry to release the information requested, we urge you to take proactive steps to obtain the information from any other public institution or agency that may be holding the requested information, and to send to us the information without further delay.

    It advised the minister not to wait until the court makes it decision to compel you to disclose the requested information.

    “Proactively releasing the information to SERAP and publishing it widely will strengthen the proper implementation of the FOI Act, promote accessibility and openness in government as well as show that the government will not shield the affected contractors and companies from accountability.

    “SERAP believes that it should be the practice of your Ministry and indeed other public institutions and agencies to hold and keep records of public information including on names of alleged corrupt contractors and companies with the expectation to release any such information when requested.

    “SERAP believes that even assuming that your Ministry has faithfully searched for the information requested and that the information is not held by your Ministry as claimed, your Ministry should still have taken steps to approach and request from other public institution or institutions that may be holding the requested information, in line with the provisions of the FOI Act.

    “SERAP believes that your response implicitly amounts to a refusal by your Ministry to provide the information requested, as allowed under the FOI Act”, it stated.

    The organization contended that the power and works ministry has a responsibility under Sections 1(1)(2), 2(2)(3)(4), 5 and 9 of the FOI Act to record and keep information about all its activities, operations and businesses, including on the specific names and details of alleged corrupt contractors and companies in order to facilitate public access to any such information.

  • Corrupt politicians will continue to go to jail-Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday reiterated his commitment to the anti-graft battle, saying that corrupt politicians will go to jail.

    He also promised to fulfill his campaign promises, if re-elected in next Saturday’s election, urging Lagosians to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates “from top to bottom.”

    President Buhari and other party leaders, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Presidential Campaign Council Co-chairman Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Campaign Director Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola spoke on the achievements of the APC-led government in the last three and half years at a rally held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

    The president, who stormed the venue around 2.45noon, was excited at the crowd that had waited for him from sunrise.

    For him, the visit to the stadium was historic. He and other party leaders were seized by nostalgic feelings.

    Four years ago, President Buhari had defeated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the APC presidential primary held at the venue.

    It was a carnival-like rally. Security was tight. Party supporters outside the stadium were more that those inside the main bowl.

    Thrilling the crowd were ace musicians-Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde, Lady Queen and ‘Small Doctor.’

    Party faithful, who came from the 57 councils, mixed with other party supporters and followers-representatives of the entertainment industry, Community Development Associations (CDAs), women groups, youth associations and students.

    President Buhari was accompanied by Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje; Kebbi State Governor Bangudu; Nasarawa State Deputy Governor; Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige and members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC).

    At the venue were Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Idiat Adebule; Nigeria’s Ambassador to United States Justice Oguntade; APC Interim National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande; Afenifere chieftains led by Prince Tajudeen Olusi; Southwest Governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo); Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) and Godwin Obaseki (Edo).

    There were also APC National Deputy Chairman (South) and former Ekiti State Governor Adeniyi Adebayo; National Auditor Chief George Moghalu; National Treasurer Adamu Fanda; National Welfare Secretary Ibrahim Masari; Legal Adviser Babatunde Ogala; Vice Chairman (Southwest) Pastor Bankola Oluwajana; Vice Chairman (Northeast) Emma Enukwu; Vice Chairman (Southsouth Ntifam Ita and National Youth Leader Sadiq Abubakar.

    Other chieftains include former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Lagos State APC Chairman Tunde Balogun and former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda.

    The highlights of the campaign was the handing of party flags by Oshiomhole to the Lagos State governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Lagos Central senatorial candidate Senator Oluremi Tinubu; her Lagos West and East counterparts-Senator Solomon Adeola and Sikiru Osinnowo and House of Representatives flag bearers who were represented by the Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (Surulere Constituency).

    Thanking Lagosians for their patience and commitment, the President said: “I thank you very much for defying the weather to be with us. I don’t think there is much to add to what the Minister of Works and Housing, the Minister of Transport and the vice-president has said.

    “I thank you very much and I can assure you that the promise we have made in 2015 to those who elected us, we have fulfilled.

    “We have made enormous progress in reviving the economy, on security and fighting corruption. I assure you that we will collect what they have stolen and send them to prison. This is our duty. This is our responsibility and I assure you that we are going to do it.”

    Osinbajo, who spoke in Yoruba, said President will provide three things, if re-elected.

    These, he said, are jobs, electricity and infrastructure, including roads and railway.

    He thanked the President for making ‘June 12’ Democracy day and a holiday in commemoration of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential polls and the injustice of annulment.

    He added: “All these are easy, if we vote for Buhari. They don’t want Buhari to remain in office because he is opposed to corruption.

    “Buhari made June 12 Democracy Day. When he was minister, three of the four refineries were built. The longest pipeline routes were constructed. He has built roads and he is doing railway. On February 16, use your index fingers to vote for Buhari.”

    Tinubu, who described the rally as a celebration of democracy, told the President and party elders that Lagosians will vote for APC because they suffered for 16 years under the PDP administration.

    He said: “Lagos is sure, very sure about voting for APC under the broom revolution.

    “The party chairman, Balogun, has catalogued Buhari’s achievements. Buhari did not make empty promises. You could see action.”

    Tracing the history of Lagos from 1999, the former governor said the people had struck a deal with the progressives, adding that they cannot endorse the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that has not catered for their interest.

    He flayed former President Olusegunn Obasanjo and his deputy, Atiku, for serving as clogs in the wheels of Lagos progress, stressing the former vice president is unworthy of Lagos votes.

    Tinubu said: “We have had progressive governments in Lagos since 1999. We have provided education and quality health.

    “We were the first to pay WAEC fees of students. We catered for poor women and widows. I handed over to Babatunde Fashola.

    “I asked him a question: what will happen, if you are elected governor? He said: ‘Lagos will not spoil.’

    “Obasanjo then came. We thought there was no way for a revolutionary economy without the Independent Power Project (IPP). I introduced IPP.

    “He and Atiku opposed it. I went to court. My lawyer was Osinbajo. I won and we started generating 300 megawatts.

    “If they had allowed IPP, Dunlop, Michelin would not have moved out of Nigeria.

    “Look at our roads and the traffic density. Obi (Peter) said he will create jobs. But, he has not been able to make brake pads and wheel spanners for the vehicles.

    “He said we should go and extend our port in Benin Republic. I call that container economy; Obi China.”

     

     

  • SERAP asks court to compel Fashola to name contractors who fail to execute power projects

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Minister of Power, Works and Housing Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) to disclose names and details of contractors and companies that allegedly collected money for electricity projects but failed to execute them starting from the return of democracy in 1999 to 2018.

    In a suit number FHC/L/CS/105/19 filed at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, SERAP is seeking “an order for leave to apply for judicial review and an order of mandamus directing and/or compelling Mr Fashola to provide specific details on the names and whereabouts of the contractors who collected public funds meant for electricity projects but disappeared with the money without executing any projects.

    The suit followed SERAP’s Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated January 4, 2019. It was filed on behalf of SERAP by its counsel, Adelanke Aremo.

    The organization giving Mr Fashola 14 days to publish “the names of all contractors and companies that have been engaged in the power sector since the return of democracy in 1999 to date, details of specific projects and the amounts that have been paid to the contractors and companies, details on the level of implementation of electricity projects and their specific locations across the country.”

    SERAP in the suit, is seeking: “an order directing and/or compelling the respondent to compile and make available to the applicant documents containing the specific names and details of contractors and companies that have been engaged in the power sector, details of projects, amount that have been paid to the contracts and companies, level of implementation of electricity projects and locations across the country and to publish widely including on a dedicated website, any such information since the return of democracy in 1999 to date.

    The organization also want the court to order the respondent to disclose if there is any ongoing investigation or prosecution of allegedly corrupt contractors and companies in the electricity sector

    It further asked the court to declare that the minister’s failure to provide the applicant with the required information amounts to a fundamental breach of the FoI Act 2011.

    SERAP sought a declaration of the court that the failure of the respondent to  disclose if there is any ongoing investigation or prosecution of allegedly corrupts contractors and companies in the electricity sector amounts to a breach of the FoI  Act 2011

    The organization said the publication of such names will make it hard for contractors and companies to get away with complicity in grand corruption stressing that the citizens have the right to see that the FoI  Act is enforced where there is an infraction of the right to information or a threat of its being violated, in matters of public interests.

    SERAP contended “by compelling Mr Fashola to name the contractors and their registration details, if any, Nigerians will be better able to hold them to account for allegedly absconding with public funds meant for electricity projects, thereby throwing the country into perpetual darkness and socio-economic stagnation as well as denying people their human rights”.

    It argued that granting the order as prayed would ensure that allegations of complicity in grand corruption by contractors and companies in the power sector do not go unpunished.

    “Unless the names of the contractors and companies are disclosed and widely published, alleged corrupt contractors and companies executing electricity projects will not be deterred and the victims of corruption that they committed will continue to be denied justice and effective remedies”, it contended.

    The organization noted that to date, no contractors or companies who allegedly collected money for electricity projects not executed or poorly executed have been investigated for corruption let alone prosecuted and fined while senior public officials who apparently served as intermediaries for these contractors and companies continue to escape justice.

    “The allegations of corruption involving many contractors and companies in the power sector have continued to impair, obstruct and undermine the ability of successive governments to provide Nigerians with access to regular and uninterrupted electricity supply. Contractors and companies that allegedly disappeared with public funds meant for electricity projects may also be liable for aiding and abetting the commission of acts of grand corruption.

    “Publishing the names of contractors will contribute to ending a pattern of corruption in the power sector and improve access of Nigerians to regular and uninterrupted electricity supply. It will also allow citizens to track the level of execution of electricity projects by contractors and companies and reduce impunity for corrupt acts in the sector.

    “Granting the reliefs sought will ensure that punitive and dissuasive measures are taken against corrupt contractors and companies, shareholders and others that might have any ownership interests in companies responsible for failed execution of power projects in the country”, it added.

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

  • Fashola, FCT Minister lead campaign for Buhari re-election

    The Minister of Power, Works, and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, along with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Musa Bello, led a campaign for President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection bid. The campaign, themed “FCT Next Level Task Force”, took place in Abuja on Friday. Fashola advised Nigerians to make an informed choice in the upcoming general elections in order to avoid regression in the economy and security of the country.

    “We are putting our record on the line, and our government, our party, our President, Buhari, and our candidates deserve another term,” he said in an interview. We expect that this campaign will strengthen our bid, not only for the president but for all of our candidates. And whilst we have the nationwide rallies led by the president, we also have some other campaigns led by the vice president, Senators, House candidates, and gubernatorial candidates reaching out to voters with our message of consolidation.

    “There are places here where you couldn’t go out by 7pm just three years ago,” Fashola spoke. “We must reflect on the fact that, while there is a lot of work to do going forward, we must remember where we came from three years ago. A lot of stability has happened here in the past three years. People have returned from IDP camps back to their homes and its one thing to lose your home and be in an IDP camp, and to build up lives which have been truncated,” Fashola said.

    FCT Minister, Musa Bello reiterated the important achievements of the present administration, and asked citizens to make wise decisions at the polls so as to better their own future.”

     

     

  • Fashola demands N1b, retractions from Leno

    Power, Works and Housing  Minister Babatunde Fashola has threatened to  file libel suit against  Mr. Leno Laitan Adesanya of Sunrise Power & Transmission Co. Ltd., over  certain publications alleged to be injurious  to his (Fashola’s)  reputation.

    The minister ,in a January 17,2019 letter through his lawyer, Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan of Ekikhalo Chambers, Uwensuyi-Edosomwan & co,said Adesanya  caused to be  published in some newspapers on January 11 and 16,2019 “serious defamatory and injurious words under the caption “Mambilla Power Project:Open letter to Mr.Babatunde Fashola (SAN)”.

    He is demanding a complete retraction of the “offending publications”,an unreserved apology and payment of N1bllion as pecuniary compensation for the  “reckless and mindless injuries to Fashola’s reputation and credit.

    He said that failure  by Adesanya to meet the demands would compel him to initiate legal action in court to redeem his image.

  • Mambilla power: We can’t divert $600m that doesn’t exist’, says Fashola

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola has denied the reports that the Mambilla power project has been stalled due to an attempt to divert funds.

    The $5.8 billion project, a 3,050-megawatt hydropower facility, was conceived in 1982.

    In a statement, the minister’s spokesperson, Hakeem Bello, said the Federal Government never awarded a contract for the Mambilla power project to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL).

    He described the claims made by Chief Executive Officer of SPTCL Leno Adesanya as fictional.

    In a series of petition to Fashola, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari, Adesanya had claimed that the company was sidelined in the project by the ministry after it was awarded the contract in 2003.

    Adesanya had taken the Federal Government and its Chinese partners before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, France over an alleged breach of contract for the project located in Taraba State.

    However, Bello said available evidence does not support Adesanya’s claims, adding that he was making a desperate attempt to destabilise the project from coming to fruition.

    “The attention of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing has been drawn to the spurious and unfounded allegations of Leno Adesanya with regards to the ongoing Mambilla Power Project,” the statement read.

    “Nothing is more further away from the truth than the claim that the loan negotiations have stalled since 2017 because of an attempt to utilise $600 Million (equivalent of N219 billion) from the 3,050MW hydropower project for a “pet project” not hitherto considered by the Federal Executive Council.

    “There is currently no budgetary provision or cash provision of $600 million or the N219 billion in any budget of the Federal Government for the Mambila Project. Therefore, you cannot attempt to divert what does not exist.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the China Exim Bank disburse money to specific projects and on conclusion of negotiations, the loan will be devoted to the construction of the Mambila Power Project, which has been on the drawing board for close to 40 years before the advent of the Buhari administration, which is now working assiduously to get the project off the ground.”

  • No N219b budget provision for Mambila power, says Fashola

    THERE is no cash provision of $600 million or N219 billion in any budget of the Federal Government for the Mambila Project, Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola has said.

    A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, yesterday insisted that nobody could attempt to divert what did not exist.

    “Nothing is more further away from the truth than the claim that the loan negotiations have stalled since 2017 because of an attempt to utilise $600 million (equivalent of N219 billion) from the 3,050 Megawatts (MW) hydropower project for a ‘pet project’ not hitherto considered by the Federal Executive Council (FEC),” Fashola said.

    The statement was reacting to allegations by Chairman of Sunrise Power Transmission Limited Leno Adesanya over the ongoing Mambilla Power Project.

    Adesanya, in November 2018, wrote an open letter to President Muhammad Buhari, where he said he had sued government to court over the project.

    He said he was sidelined from the contract signing in 2017, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved it and Fashola signed with two Chinese firms, leaving out the acclaimed local partner – Sunrise Power.

    But, denying the allegation, the statement said: “It has, therefore, become necessary to debunk the lies and resist the unjustified and malicious attack on the person of the minister and save the innocent members of the public from the rather misleading and offensive publication widely circulating in various media platforms, authored and sponsored by Mr. Adesanya to damage good name and reputation of the minister to claim   undue credit and attract unwarranted attention and sympathy.”

    Fashola explained that for the avoidance of doubt, the China Exim Bank disburse money to specific projects and on conclusion of negotiations, the loan would be devoted to the construction of the Mambila Power Project, which has been on the drawing board for close to 40 years before the advent of the Buhari administration, which is now working to get the project off the ground.

    The publication of the claims by Adesanya in a national daily and the social media, the statement said, was a desperate attempt by him and his political sympathisers to destabilise a project that they could not bring to fruition.

    Fashola said since Adesanya had chosen to go to court, he would be required to prove his allegation.

    The minister said the FEC never awarded a contract for the project to Adesanya.

  • Buhari, Fashola, Ngige storm Anambra as Obiano hosts festival

    All is set for the arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari in Achina, Anambra State tomorrow for the triennial Idegwu festival. To accompany him are the Ministers of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and that of Labour and Employment, Sen Chris Ngige.  The host  is Governor Willie Obiano, while former Chief of General Staff (CGS), Ebitu Ukiwe is the special guest of honour.

    In preparation, Igwe Godwin Nnaemeka Obiora of Achina held the community’s ofala festival on Saturday. Speaking with reporters yesterday at the Achina Idegwu Day celebration, the Chairman of the organising committee, Nze Modestus Umenzekwe, said it was all about celebrating the community’s heritage and history. He said there is no fetish act attached to the festival, aside celebrating the birth of Achina, which was bequeathed to them by their fore fathers.

    Special Assistant to Obiano on Political Matters, Anayo Okpalaeke, told reporters  the’ iti omu’ and ofala before the event on Friday and Saturday respectively,  were to herald the Achina Idegwu festival.

  • Fashola, FMBN Board hailed for reinstating whistleblower

    A GROUP, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), has lauded Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola and the Board of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) for the reinstatement of Murtala Ibrahim, a whistleblower in the bank.

    Ibrahim was reinstated following the recommendations of the report of a Ministerial Investigative Committee inaugurated by Fashola.

    The committee was set up following the whistleblower’s petition to the minister and pressure from AFRICMIL urging Fashola to use his good offices to reinstate the whistleblower.

    A statement issued by Coordinator of AFRICMIL Chido Onumah hailed Fashola and the board for heeding the call to stand on the side of justice and offering a ray of hope to citizens who feel reluctant to report corrupt practices for fear of retaliation.

    “We receive the news of Murtala’s reinstatement with great delight and see this development as yet another morale booster for workers, who fear that when they report fraud or other forms of wrongdoing, there would be reprisals for which they would never get justice,” Onumah stated.

    The AFRICMIL Coordinator urged citizens not to be constrained by the fear of retaliation, saying: “AFRICMIL, just as in the case of Aaron Kaase, Ntia Thompson and Murtala Ibrahim, would ensure that victimised whistleblowers get restitution no matter how long it takes.”

    Ibrahim was a Unit Head in the FMBN ICT Process Audit and Special Investigation Unit at the time he was sacked on May 8, 2017, following his refusal to compromise on ethics and for blowing the whistle on contract scam and the bank’s falsified 2016 Half-Year Profit Validation Report.

    Onumah noted that Ibrahim was only carrying out his duties in an honest and professional manner before he was unjustly sacked. According to Onumah, what Ibrahim went through during the period brings to the fore what whistleblowers go through for merely exercising the right of citizens to report wrongdoing.

    “Protecting whistleblowers from retaliation will promote ease reporting on corruption, while also enhancing openness and accountability in government and corporate workplaces,” he stated.

  • Power: Fashola got it all wrong

    Last week, Nigerians were surprised to hear the summary of our power supply challenges from the Honorable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN). It was shocking because it did not acknowledge the true situation which is that the Federal Government of Nigeria has 40% stake in the Distribution Companies (Discos), Generating Companies (Gencos) and a 100% stake in Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) which is the major stumbling block in the power sector.

    The problem is shared 60/40 ratio. Yes, the businessmen lead at the front but what about the government’s angle?

    The consistent thing that has marked the last three years from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing with regards to power supply has been false narratives.

    On the other hand, one of the most important issues affecting the sector’s success – a cost reflective tariff – gets almost no mention at all. How can the issues be fixed if we keep avoiding the major problem?

    The honourable minister may have forgotten, but before the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was sold to its successor companies, followed by the devaluation of the Naira, energy was sold for between N25-N36/kWh which is equivalent to 18.4¢/kWh. This value is at par with many countries on the planet.

    The minister forgot to inform Nigerians that the Nigerian power sector is 100% import-dependent, hence the devaluation had a devastating effect on the sector’s revenue expense-wise but nothing changed on the income side despite the devaluation.

    Today, energy is sold for between N25-36/kWh which is now equivalent to 8.4¢/kWh. That is over 54% loss against a business which is 100% import dependent. How will they survive?

    I agree the current license holders may not be as technically savvy as we will prefer them to be but this single adverse financial challenge is sufficient to kill any form of investment in any sector regardless of the technical competence of its operators. They will continually be engaged in a losing struggle to recoup their initial investment as well as pay off the debts they owe banks and other sources from where they got funds from.

    The ministry has also not made concrete efforts to help check energy theft and by this, I am referring to sustainable and enforceable policies and not just cosmetic events that do not address the problem. While we expect the operators to adopt new systems and technologies to curb energy theft, as the representative of the government in the 60/40 relationship, I think they should be more interested in aligning government’s other institutions to help checkmate this practice.

    While I cannot question the honourable minister’s prowess in law and jurisprudence, a critical sector like the power sector needs a technical hand …preferably an electrical engineer. I believe this is the main reason why he has kept pushing a narrative of a phantom 2,000MW stranded power which is non-existent or an acclaimed accomplishment of 7,000 MW generation capacity whereas we already had the capacity to generate 6.2GW as at 2014 and yet we remain saddled with gas constraints and a weak wheeling network which has not improved substantially in the last four years.

    Before we go any further, here are some facts.

    As at 2013, Nigeria was wheeling 3,000MW-plus on the transmission grid. This is still the same average we are battling with in 2018. It is instructive and worrisome to say Nigeria has NOT wheeled 4000MW averagely in our 58 years of existence. The one-off incident where we wheeled over 5,000MW on only one day does not count.

    The data of the wheeled and generated energy since 2013 is available on NERC website captioned as daily energy watch (the daily updates have been discontinued).

    Please find some relevant links listed below and data pulled from Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission “Daily Energy” watch which was discontinued by NERC in Jan 2017. Also in these links are the Energy report for 2017 and Q1 of 2018; NNPC monthly report and TCN System Operators daily report from 2014. These reports contradict information you have pushed to the Nigerian public in the last three years. I doubt that the minister can know more than the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    1. http://nerc.gov.ng/index.php/library/documents/NERC-Reports/NERC-Quarterly-Reports/NERC-First-Quarter-Report-2018/

    2.http://nnpcgroup.com/NNPCBusiness/BusinessInformation/PerformanceData/MonthlyPerformanceData/tabid/617/FolderID/211/Default.aspx

    1. https://www.nsong.org/Library.aspx

    Any other figure other than the statistics listed below is wrong and misleading.

    1. Nigeria as at 2013 was wheeling 3,292MW averagely that is 28,837,920MWh of Energy in 2013.
    2. Nigeria as at 2014 was wheeling 3,330MW averagely that is 29,170,800MWh of Energy in 2014
    3. Nigeria as at 2015 was wheeling 3,529MW averagely that is 30,914,040MWh of Energy in 2015
    4. Nigeria as at 2016 was wheeling 3,188MW averagely that is 27,926,880MWh of Energy in 2016
    5. Nigeria as at 2017 was wheeling 3,619MW averagely that is 31,702,440MWh of Energy in 2017
    6. Nigeria as at March 2018 wheeled 3,942MW averagely that is 28,514,720MWh which has since returned to the same position in 2014.

    More importantly, our electricity consumption per capita has dropped because it is recorded against our population.

    Please note there are losses associated with wheeling and distribution and we also export electricity.

    Also of interest is that the figures above are not what get to Nigerians. There is at least 8% loss on wheeling and distribution and another 10% is exported to our neighbours leaving Nigerians to battle with less than 3,000MW. This is 58 years after independence.

    Honourable minister anyone that tells you making power is rocket science is NOT okay.

    All over Africa, nations are building power plants in record time and Egypt just unveiled a 14.4GW plant in 27.5 months for less than $6.5 billion.

     

    • Mohammed an energy expert writes from Lagos.