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Tag: POWER

  • ‘ APC ‘ll regain power in Ekiti in 2018’

    ‘ APC ‘ll regain power in Ekiti in 2018’

    Former Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly Hon. Femi Bamisile spoke with OPEYEMI SAMUEL on his governorship ambition and how the All Progressives Congress (APC) can regain power in the Fountain of Knowledge.

    What is your assessment of the Buhari-led administration?

    The President has set goals to the taste of Nigerians and my  take is that the President is bent on recovering the stolen funds that belong to the country. Everybody knows we can give him a pass mark on that. On security too, what we can see now is pretty better than what we could see in the  time past. Two major things here are security and  economy. In changing a decayed society, we needed trusted hands  and so, the President is trying to entrust things into the hands of people he could trust.

    There is the fight against corruption and corruption is fight back.  What does that  portend for our democracy?

    It is expected that when you fight corruption, it would  fight back. We are used to people stealing money in government and  corruption fighting back does not mean we should stop. The  President is a 73-year old man. You ask how many years does he have left on earth, compared to the one he has  spent? The best he can do is to make sure he cleanses the  system before he leaves. Those fighting back are those that  have benefited from corrupt system in this country. For me,  I would want to join in the crusade to say that we need to  fight on. The crash in dollar is something that would have  happened with the last government. We need the political  will to drive the system and this won’t happen in a day. We  need economy drivers and before we start to criticise, let  us wait for another two years before we start to say he has  not performed up to expectation.

    Do you support the call the on former President Jonathan to speak up on the  armsgate?

    Nobody is above the law. If by any means, the former  president has been found wanting, he should be brought to  book. Dasuki could not have collected monies on his own without the collaboration of the Minister of Finance,  Okonjo-Iweala, and the former president. I am a person that  believes in the rule of law. Thousands of lives have been lost in the northern part of Nigeria.

    Do you agree with the opinion that APC is dead in Ekiti State?

    I don’t know what you mean by that. The APC is not dead in the  state. You can be sure that many would argue that with you,  probably because the governor is always heard and seen, and  he seems to be very popular among the people.

    Our party is in the opposition and should be a check on the ruling government and that is what our spokesman does almost on a daily basis. He addresses wrong policies of the state government.

    What else do you want us to do? Jump on the streets and start fighting? Even when the governor is behaving irrationally, that doesn’t means we as a party should join him in doing so. I am a chieftain of the party and I have been going round the 16 local governments   in the state sensitising, energising and re-engineering the party. Grandstanding and making a noise doesn’t mean we are there. The party will sure take over the helms of affairs in the state, come 2018.

    But, is that possible, giving the popularity of the governor in the state?

    Yes, he is getting closer to the people but there are some of us who know the game better, in a more civil and civilised manner. I won’t get on the streets and start eating boli (roast plantain) or drinking paraga (local gin) in the name of doing politics because I am a more civil person. I can tell you that the people are no longer with Fayose. The moment people see that you have derailed, they would abandon you.

    The introduction of stomach infrastructure is, probably, what has fetched him so much popularity. Don’t you think so?

    It is even an insult to talk of stomach infrastructure in a state like Ekiti, the Fountain of Knowledge. How do you define that and what is the basis for that? Fayose has injected into the system what we call the ‘clownish’ way of life and that is why you see him appearing in the House of Assembly improperly dressed. The governor went to present the budget in the House of Assembly in T-shirt and jeans. For you to enter the hallow chamber where I served as the Speaker of the House, you must be formally dressed. Fayose went into the House with his own gavel. The budget of the state was passed in a space of 25 minutes and it didn’t take another 48 hours before it was signed into law. He has made a mockery of the whole system. For me, he is just a political jester. I want to assure you, without any iota of doubt, that in 2018, I will be in the helm of affairs and Fayose would be kicked out.

    That won’t be easy to do, if you must be sincere with yourself…

    I have started creating awareness and I have been on the street working. I have been in government and as an opposition, I know what it takes to be in government. Fayose has not done so well the way you people think. It is just propaganda on the pages of newspapers. He could call the world press conference in a day and tell the world anything.

    Are you worried about the federal allocation and the low Internally Generated Revenue?

    Yes, we are one of the lowest in allocation, but coming to government, you must have a blueprints or a game plan. It is not the centre that should be feeding the state. it is the state that should feed the centre and that is true federalism. You should be able to use your IGR to augment.

    When former Governor Tinubu had an issue with former President Obasanjo, it was never like that. On IGR alone, Lagos is getting over N30b. That doesn’t mean we should over-tax our people. We can go back to agriculture and even industrialise our state. As a party, we decided not to go into the local government elections because it would have been a waste of time. Whether you like it or not, Ayo (Fayose) would write the results out by himself. He has done it before. I can tell you that the chairman of the state INEC is from my place and coincidentally, we bear the same surname. He is a card carrying member of the PDP.

    An INEC official to be a card-carrying member of a political party. Why didn’t you blow it out?

    The case went to court but it was thrown out. It is the governor that selects whoever he wants. Anybody that had gone into that election would have been wasting money, time and efforts. I am not a green horn in politics. Anybody who underestimates me does it at his own peril.

    Is it not too early to start campaigning for the governorship, when the election is still two years away? 

    That is not  over-ambition. It is the process of preparation. To win an election, you need to work hard. Changing the psyche of the people to vote the APC is not something that can be done in one day. We are only preparing to win an election and that is why you see us going from ward to ward already.

    What is your assessment of Governor Ayo Fayose?

    The governor will always tell you that the economy is bad and that his subvention is so low, when we have had other people coming to serve as governors. I make bold to say that the only structure that is on ground now is a building in form of a library in the name of the late former Deputy Governor, Funmilayo Olayinka. The only thing else that you get is that on Christmas Day, he gives people a fowl and N200, or a little portion of rice. Is that what you define as stomach infrastructure? That is the highest point of deceit that we are experiencing in the state.

    What would you do differently, if elected?

    We want to improve on our state by ensuring that the youth are empowered. We want to ensure that the influx of people out of the state is addressed. I am not interested in new projects but to embark on the completion of all uncompleted ones.

    What is your plan for education in the state?

    I engaged a professor recently and he said the same thing. Ekiti has been known for her educational excellence but that drive is no longer there. We must have the best hands now and bring back our highly intellectual sons and daughters that are far away.

  • ‘Leaders use deliberate underfunding of tertiary institutions to maintain hold on power’

    An activist and the Director-General of the Electoral Institute, Abuja Prof Abubakar Momoh, has said underfunding in tertiary institutions has become one of the mechanisms   by governments and ruling elites to impose their decisions for political and social control.

    Momoh said it is a trend that dates back to the military era, and which has since extended because of the realisation that ideas were more powerful than guns.

    Momoh, a professor of Political Theory at the Lagos State University (LASU), delivered the 24th convocation lecture of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH).

    He spoke on: “Funding challenge of tertiary institution in Nigeria”.

    “It was a technique the military used to make tertiary institution lecturers subservient to their antics, whims and caprices. Underfunding is one of the reasons education has become mundane, moribund and backward in Nigeria,’’ Momoh said.

    According to him, underfunding has made it impossible for education to empower the people as well as bring about rapid technological development in ways in which research resulted in rapid development of other developing countries.

    Momoh lamented that the governments’ allocations to tertiary institutions has dwindled tremendously amid their excuse that other sectors equally have competing demands.

    “But there are several other nations with meagre resources yet they are able to dedicate UNESCO’s 26 per cent recommendations of their annual budget to the education sector”, Momoh added.

    Momoh said the government can resolve the distress by separating recurring expenditure from capital expenditure, address physical and research expansion of tertiary institutions, and ensure that quality assurance and control bodies play their roles.

    Others, he said, are: supporting of endowment by wealthy individuals and indigenous foundations. Tertiary institutions must also offer support and an improvement in internal mechanisms of their institutions to improve accountability and administrative transparency.’’

  • TCN bars website on power generation

    TCN bars website on power generation

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has barred access to its website on the volumes of electricity generated, distributed and transmitted in the country.

    This is coming as generation dropped to below 3,000 megawatts (Mw) in recent times, a development which has negatively impacted on electricity supply in Nigeria.

    Known as www.nsong.org, the website, which provided information on what the state of turbines and their output are; how many megawatts of electricity are generated; the volume of power that is distributed, transmitted and projections made in respect of electricity production in the country, has been shut, with no explanation offered by TCN management.

    The Nation’s findings revealed that visitors to the website have since last week been unable to access the site.

    It was further gathered that the development has left stakeholders including journalists who use the site as a source for their stories disappointed.

    Efforts to get TCN’s spokesman, Seun Olagunju, to speak on the issue proved abortive as calls and text messages made to her were not replied.

  • The healing power of colours

    •Concluding part

    The vegetables radiate green energy. Eat plenty of vegetables for energy and strength. Green is good for ulcers, (external and internal), heart problems, and all forms of infections, such as STD, allergy, skin reactions. Rub green oil for all this.

    When faced with difficult situations where you must make a decision, relax and be still. Wrap a green cloth on your face and head. Green is a helpful colour for leaders, counsellors, and those who make decisions. When confused, unable to sleep or agitated, squeeze bitter leaf in water and drink two glasses. When agitated and worried, you radiate red. The solution is more radiation of green through application of oil to the body, and eating greens like bitter leaf and plantain. Do not make serious decision when your aura is red. Balance it with green before making decision.

    Green is the colour for healing. We all need healing. A lot of people are sick simply because they do not know why they are here on earth, what they are destined for and what their life is all about. They become confused and find it difficult or even impossible to make decisions. They are afraid of what tomorrow will bring. Such people need a lot of green energy to help them rediscover the dynamism of life. Green gives us wisdom and inspiration to forge ahead in this life. It is true that there is a lot of uncertainty, insecurity, unhappiness, injustice and evil in the world. Yet, we can still be happy, despite all these. In green we find the courage to face life and befriend uncertainties.

     

    Blue

    Projecting blue energy into the body reduces inflammation and swelling in joints and other tissues. Blue is the colour of peace, gentleness, calmness and protection. It is the colour of rest, sleep and relaxation. Have you ever noticed an office painted with dominant blue? You will notice calmness and peace. Blue does not excite, unlike red.

    Blue is the colour for musicians, artists, poets and preachers. Blue radiates peace, health and tranquillity. Sound, music, and water are often linked with blue. Sound is linked to creation. The world came into being when God uttered the creative word. Christ often cast out devils by uttering the healing  word. To the dead girl he said: Tabitha cum. To the woman caught in adultery he said: “Has no one condemned you? Go and sin no more.” Words go a long way to shape people’s feelings and sense of identity. Music and poems are advanced forms of speech. Why are they so powerful? It is because they open us to a deeper level where healing can take place; a level beyond the material level of competition, greed and materialism.

    In times of sickness, learn to sing a meaningful song. Utter positive words while bathing, for blue is the colour of water. To chant mantra while bathing is very useful. It brings calmness and peace. It also helps to hold a glass of water in your hand and say some words like: ‘May the river of life flow through me’, or ‘may the healing rays of God radiate through me’; ‘Christ my light, wash me clean’. You can hold a glass of water in your hand and say: ‘Tabitha cum, little girl, get up’ to arouse your dormant energies and power to come to the surface. Blue is the colour for fevers, insomnia, and appendicitis, allergic reactions, diabetes, cancer and other viruses like the notorious HIV virus. In families where there is tension, disagreement, blue is desirable. Wives, whose husbands get easily irritated should try to create a blue environment.

     

    ORANGE

    Orange colour is derived from a combination of red and yellow. In other words, it is a combination of intellectual and reproductive energy. Orange is directly related to the large intestine and the reproductive organs. Orange helps in proper metabolism without which constipation and toxicity would result. It is an active ray. It puts emphasis on health and wellbeing through proper physical, healthy lifestyle, e.g. physical exercises, balanced diet, vegetarian diet. Orange is the colour for vegetarians. In life, it is good to learn to do something physically positive. Faith without works is nothing. Orange-coloured oils, lotions and herbs are very useful for physical health. Fruit fast is capable of absolving poisons and toxins from the system.

    Orange colour increases oxygen, helps lungs and menstrual cramp, encourages interests and activities, releases gas, draws boils, helps in abscesses, depresses the parathyroid and stimulates the thyroid. It increases flow of milk in mothers and flow of sperm in men with scanty menses. It also helps in impotence and rigidity in women.

  • Borrowing to fund power

    Borrowing to fund power

    Taking domestic or foreign loans to build infrastructure for power, experts say, could resolve Nigeria’s energy crisis. Feedback on projects executed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) has shown that borrowing to build power infrastructure could be self-liquidating and profitable. The execution of Phase II of the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) and the diversification of power generation, transmission and distribution capacities, they say, could end Nigeria’s energy woes, COLLINS NWEZE writes.

    Plans to boost power supplies to 10,000 megawatts (MW) or more have always excited stakeholders. But it would entail building power infrastructure that is not only expensive, but requires sophisticated technology.

    The Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic (AICD) report estimates that Nigeria requires sustained spending of at least $14.2 billion yearly over the next decade to address the infrastructure challenge, key of which is power. But funding power would require borrowing from local and international markets, given that government revenues are not sufficient to solely fund the projects.

    Still, the country has in the last 10 years of the inauguration of the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) and its implementation by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) achieved some progress in power.

    Stakeholders are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari‘s administration to execute Phase II of the NIPP, which covers the construction of 11 hydro dams in Northern Nigeria to add to and diversify the country’s power generation, transmission and distribution capacities. This will also stem the looming face-off between the government and organised labour over electricity-related matters.

    Former Executive Director, Keystone Bank, Richard Obire, said borrowing from local or international markets by the power companies would be required to achieve the desired results. He explained that sophisticated technology is required to drive power as most of the equipment needed  are imported. “Borrowing abroad gives operators the opportunity to import equipment and other assets. They can also borrow locally to settle naira-based obligations,” he said.

    Director-General, Debt Management Office (DMO) Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, said Nigeria’s low debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio means the country can borrow more to fund budget, infrastructure and other essential projects that will stimulate the economy and create jobs for the citizenry.

    The Director-General of West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), Prof. Akpan Ekpo agreed with Dr. Nwankwo. He explained that with the declining government revenues from oil, budgetary allocations alone may not be enough to finance the infrastructure deficit in the country.

    Prof. Ekpo admitted that the debt option is still the most viable at this time. He said Nigeria’s rebased $510 billion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) economy gives it more room to borrow more to bridge infrastructure gap.

     

    Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC)

     Progress has been made in the power sector since 2005 when the NIPP was conceived and later implemented by the federal, state and local governments through the NDPHC, a government agency owned by the three tiers of government, but which operates strictly on the private sector business model.

    The NDPHC’s equity structure shows that the Federal Government has 47 per cent; the 36 States, 35 per cent while the 774 Local Governments have 18 per cent. Also, the NIPP was initiated in response to the deplorable state of power infrastructure and the inappropriate framework for private sector investment in the Nigerian electricity industry pre-2005.

    A report from NIPP said its scope covers the entire value chain in the power sector, namely generation, transmission and distribution, including building from the scratch a national gas infrastructure to power 10 gas-powered plants across the country.

    The NDPHC was incorporated in 2005 as the Special Project Vehicle (SPV) for the NIPP. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) and the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), among others, are integral part of the NIPP project development.

    The NIPP is being funded via the Excess Crude Savings Accounts (ECSA) and its  capital funding till date is $8.46 billion. The disbursement of the fund to the NDPHC is ratified by the Federal Government and the Houses of Assembly of the 36 states of the Federation.

    The NDPHC, domiciled in the Presidency, is chaired by the Vice President; it has as members on its Board, six governors and four ministers.

    Before the NIPP/NDPHC’s inauguration in 2005, Nigeria had transmission capacity of 4,495 Kilometre (km) on its 330 Kilovolt  (Kv) lines. The country’s transformer capacity on the 132/33Kv band was 5,700 (Mega-volt ampere) MVA. For distribution projects, Nigeria had 33/11KV sub-stations of 8,148 MVA and 33KV and 11/0.41KV substation with 32,000 MVA capacity.

    “The country could barely generate 2,000 MW of electricity. There was neither gas-fired power station nor gas infrastructure to generate electricity. The NDPHC has built 10 gas-fired power stations, an average of one power station per year, with a combined installed capacity of 4,528.5 MW. These are Alaoji, Benin, Calabar, Egbema, Gbarain, Geregu II, Ogorode, Olorunsogo II, Omoku II and Omotosho II power plants, which get their natural gas from gas metering and regulating stations grouped into seven lots,” it said.

    The NDPHC, whose Managing Director is Mr. James Abiodun Olotu, has also expanded the country’s power transmission capacity through 25 lots. They are: 5,590MVA of 330/132Kv transformer capacity; 3,313MVA of 132/33Kv transformer capacity; 2,194km of 330Kv lines; 809km of 132kv lines; 10 new 330Kv substations; seven new 132Kv substations and the expansion of 36 existing 330Kv and 132KV substations. In the third leg of the power chain–distribution the NDPHC under Olotu has executed 296 distribution projects in 43 lots spread over every state of the Federation.

    The NIPP/NDPHC has also delivered on the provision and integration of grid-wide telecommunication and Tele-protection infrastructure. Eight of the 10 power plants are fully completed with installed capacity of 3,696 MW and the last two – Egbema and Omoku, 563MW – are on course for completion and inauguration by the fourth quarter of this year.

     

    Divestment and reinvestment plan

     As a result of the country’s harrowing experience of inefficiency under the government-owned National Electricity Power Authority (NEPA, now defunct), initiators of the NIPP thought it wise to include a divestment plan in the power sector reform framework.

    However, rather than pulling out completely and leaving Nigerians at the mercy of private sector operations in this critical sector, the three tiers of government have divested 80 per cent of their equity in one leg of the tripod, the NIPP Generation Assets,  to private investors.

    The three tiers of government have sold their assets to distribution companies (DISCOs), with $1.5 billion historical cost recoverable from them in 10 years.  The three tiers of government still have transmission assets worth $2 billion as at December 2015 and gas assets with historical cost of $500 million. These investments would, in the future, be divested to the private sector to enable them recoup $8.46 billion initial commitment in NIPP Phase I.

    The NDPHC has recouped $7.1 billion by selling 80 per cent of government shares in generation only, the proceeds of which will be reinvested in NIPP Phase II.  With the total assets of the NIPP standing at $11 billion, the NDPHC has turned in at least $2.5 billion in profit and assets for the country in 10 years.

    For the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, the DISCOS need to treat their customers with courtesy. The minister, who spoke at a meeting with power sector players at the Ugwuaji Transmission Station in Enugu, demanded that the power companies should find a way of carrying their customers along. “If you are not getting enough power from the transmission companies, you must tell your customers so. Take the issue of review of tariff for instance, it was arrived at after consultations. Why don’t you step out and explain the issues to your customers? All of us must explain to our different customers where we operate,” he said.

     

    NIPP Phase II

     The three tiers of government have agreed under the power sector reforms programme to reinvest the recouped $7.1 billion in expanding the country’s power infrastructure under NIPP Phase II, which will take power infrastructure to other regions, especially the northern region not captured in the first phase.

    The project will involve construction of 43 critical transmission projects to resolve transmission bottlenecks; 51 transmission projects to improve wheeling capacity to 12,000 MW; 31 other transmission projects as foundation for increase of capacity to 16,000 MW plus communication and national control centre, among others. The State Grid of China, AK-AY and other interested foreign investors have shown interest in financing and partnering to fund the NIPP Phase II projects.

    The Presidency, the Senate, state and local governments, the Ministry of Power, the NDPHC and the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) are all part of the NIPP success story.

    An expert in the power sector, Michael Abiodun, urged the NIPP to sustain the momentum despite the change of personnel at the federal level, the states, the ministry of power and the BPE.

    He urged the government and other stakeholders to close ranks to solve challenges facing the sector, such as inadequate gas for full commercial operations; partial payment of energy invoices, leading to the NDPHC alone being owed over N77 billion as at the end of last November; litigations in respect of bids for Alaoji, Gbarain and Omoku power plants; NNPC/NGC plans to divert gas on the western axis and the 240mmscf to Omotosho and Geregu.

    Abiodun said there are also investors’ concern in the sector bordering on credit enhancement for NBET; total divestment of NDPHC equity; review of bid to reflect delays in acquisition; the impact of regulatory risks and naira devaluation among others.

    “There are also policy inconsistencies, which have been the bane of the NESI for far too long; GenCos and the industry in general, are concerned about the capacity for transmission and distribution, whereas the investment opportunity presented on the platform of the NDPHC are good options for resolving these infrastructure deficit; and the monthly revenue gap of N20 billion needs to be closed irreversibly as a matter of urgency since efficiency and revenues drive the power industry; increasing acts of vandalism on NIPP/NDPHC facilities, especially bombing of gas pipelines and other power infrastructure in the Niger Delta,” he said.

     

    The way forward

    The NIPP plans to inaugurate the Gbarain, Egbema and Omoku power plants;  complete all distribution projects captured in the NIPP programme; complete prioritised transmission lines and substations, improve the evacuation capacity and grid stability; and close transaction for the divestment of 80 per cent equity in Omotosho and Geregu generation companies.

    Abiodun urged stakeholders to look up to the Ministry of Power for policy guidance and leadership in the sector. He also call for a “one-stop point of contact” for investors in the power sector because many investors, according to him, are frustrated by the complexity of the industry. There is also the need for support of the Senate, improved fiscal incentives and ensure that the sector is streamlined and made more accessible.

    Taking loans, domestic or foreign, to build the country’s power infrastructure, according to experts, is the way to go as the NDPHC has demonstrated that borrowing to build power infrastructure is self-liquidating and profitable for the country in both the long and short terms.

  • Wike: PDP ’ll reclaim power through national convention

    Wike: PDP ’ll reclaim power through national convention

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has stated that next month’s National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will serve as a springboard for the revival of the former ruling party to reclaim power at the centre in 2019.

    Wike, who is the chairman of the National Convention Committee, noted that the May convention will set PDP in motion to win more states during the 2019 elections.

    The governor was quoted by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, in a statement yesterday, as speaking during the inaugural meeting of the committee at the Government House, Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

    Wike stressed that the committee will help in instilling confidence in the members of the PDP that the party remained strong and viable.

    He said: “One thing that is important is that this committee will revive our party. This committee will also allay the fears of our members over the rumours they hear.

    “It is important for us to rebuild PDP to be a stronger party. PDP is our home in Rivers State. This is the only party we know here. This is the only party other members know across the states.”

    The governor admonished members of the committee to work as a team, to ensure the success of the convention, while assuring that the convention will be peaceful and hitch free.

    He said: “We are now in the opposition. Our interest should be on how to rebuild the party and take it back to power at the centre in 2019.”

    Speaking on the security situation in the state, Wike insisted that the state is peaceful, despite the alleged propaganda being sponsored by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Prominent PDP members at the inaugural meeting, besides Wike, were Taraba State Governor Darius Ishiaku, who is the Deputy Chairman of the committee; Ebonyi Governor, Dave Umahi, Secretary I; Ahmed Gulak, Secretary II; Senator Sam Egwu; former Niger Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu; ex-Rivers Governor, Celestine Omehia; Senator Abdulkadir Bala Mohammed and Leo Ogor.

    Others included a former Sports Minister Dr. Tammy Danagogo; Chief Sergeant Awuse; Senator Lee Maeba, ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha; Edo PDP Chairman Chief Dan Orbih; Gogo Bright Tamuno and Dr. Umar Ardo.

  • NLC plans one-day strike on fuel, power crises

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday resolved to go on a one-day warning strike over the state of the nation, especially the increase in electricity tariff and ongoing fuel crisis.

    Its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, lamented that the response to the prevailing economic situation by all the tiers of government in the country has been a source of worry for many Nigerians, especially the  workers.

    In an address to the opening session of the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the congress in Abuja yesterday, Wabba said Nigerians are feeling the harsh realities of the economic crises in the country.

    Specifically, the NLC president decried the unjustifiable 45 per cent increase in electricity tariff, saying the increase was “illegal, unfair, unjustifiable and a further exploitation of the already exploited Nigerians.”

    He pointed out that the due process in the extant laws for such an increment was not followed in consonance with Section 76 of the Power Sector Reform Act, 2005.

    Wabba said there has not been any significant improvement in service delivery coupled with the fact that most consumers are not metered in accordance with the signed Privatisation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of November 21, 2013 which stipulated that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers are to be metered.

    He regretted that despite the national action organised by the congress in the 36 states of the federation including Abuja, which was adjudged successful, the intervention of the National Assembly and especially the Senate President who received the protesters at the National Assembly premises in Abuja, the power firms remained adamant.

    According to him, the privatisation of the power sector was done in bad faith and it has become obvious that the investors do not have the capacity to improve power generation and supply in the country.

    He said the CWC will agree on a day to embark on the strike, because according to him, several actions promised by the Federal Government to checkmate the tariff increment have not been implemented.

    He said: “While the process is on, the tariff increase has remained, and under a worsening power supply situation. Not a few Nigerians are groaning under this burden. Not a few of them look to the Congress for a solution.”

    On the issue of fuel scarcity, he pointed out that when the first incident occurred  under this government, “we put it to sabotage and urged the government to deal decisively with the saboteurs but with an eye to enhanced local production as an enduring solution. When the second incident happened, we similarly reasoned the same way.

    “However, with the latest incident of prolonged scarcity and confession by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources that scarcity will persist till May as he is not a magician, regular scarcity might as well  be a familiar feature, and we would do well to brace ourselves for long spells, except government does the needful.

    “We must however make the point that spells of scarcity will not be acceptable to Labour and other Nigerians  because the human and economic costs are unimaginable.”

  • Gov. Ambode appeals to residents over fuel crisis, power

    Gov. Ambode appeals to residents over fuel crisis, power

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Wednesday appealed to residents to bear with government over the lingering fuel crisis and power shortage across the state.
    This is contained in a statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde.
    “Lagos State consumes more than 40 per cent of the fuel and energy needs of the country and therefore appreciates that the impact of the scarcity would be felt more in the state,” Ambode said.
    He urged residents to remain calm, orderly and law abiding, assuring them that government was doing everything possible within its power to find an immediate solution to the crisis.
    “I share the pain and discomfort of Lagosians.
    “I assure them that the Federal Government is deeply touched by the situation and is working round the clock to alleviate the suffering of the people,” Ambode said.

  • Power accounts for 60% of costs, says UACN chief

    Managing Director, Gossy Natural Spring Water, a subsidiary of UACN, Mrs. Folake Oshinyemi has decried the huge cost electricity takes in the total cost of operation of manufacturers.

    She lamented that the firm spends between 40 and 60 per cent of its total costs on power generation, noting that it has impacted on the cost of the finished products.

    She said: “It’s ridiculous that the government wants us to pay for what we cannot claim to have used in a whole year. In the last one year, we have generated our own power in our factory in Ikogosi, Ekiti State.”

    Oshinyemi, who spoke to The Nation, regretted that Nigerians have been compelled to become a mini-local government as they now provide all their infrastruc-tural needs, such as roads, water, electricity and others.

    “Here, we generate our power, tar our roads and are made to pay taxes and levies; now they are increasing tariffs for power that is not supplied to us. The government should, therefore, ensure that the electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and the generation companies (GenCos) are effectively supported to ensure adequate power supply,” she added.

    On the effect of the foreign exchange policy, she said: “The forex policy has deeply affected our operations, but the truth is that as a nation, we badly managed our economy and our natural resources, especially oil. As we all know, the components of Gossy bottled water and the sachet water are all by-products of petrochemical products.

    “Unfortunately, we import resins which are a by-product of the petrochemical industry and whenever the cost of dollar is up, it affects us as manufacturers. Everything we use, apart from the water itself is imported, a serious country desirous of growing her economy cannot continue like this.

    “We are made to pay all manner of taxes; we pay company income tax, education tax, including withholding tax. In addition we are made to pay VAT (value added tax) on the materials that we use in making the water. In our local community where we function, our company is made to pay environmental premises levy.

  • Power supply in more danger as Ikeja Electric exits talks with Labour

    The epileptic power supply will be further threatened as Ikeja Electric (IE), which distributes power to the bulk of Lagos Mainland, at the weekend discontinued talks with Labour.

    The company and workers agreed to the talks as a way forward after last month’s strike following disengagement of workers. The strike completely crippled power supply in the country’s economic capital.

    Yesterday, the company said it had discontinued the talks because “the negotiation was tending towards a proposition that would jeopardise transparency, employee performance and service excellence to customers.”

    Last month, Labour picketed the electricity distribution company for three days over the disengagement of workers who failed to meet the company’s performance objectives and were deemed to be performing below standard. However, the picketing was suspended after Ikeja Electric reached an agreement with the National Union of Electricity Workers (NUEE) and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to set up a committee to review the performance appraisal and competency assessment process.

    Ikeja Electric’s Head of Corporate Communications, Felix Ofulue, said the company discontinued the talks “due to a clear determination by representatives of Labour to stick to a pre-conceived and irreversible position that the process was flawed. Therefore, the review process was an exercise in futility.

    “Rather than engage in an objective and constructive review of the whole appraisal process which is tailored in line with global best practices, Labour preferred an arbitrary review in which reduced criteria would be applied to certain selected employees who are members of the union”.

    He added: “The performance review process was classified into four stages, clearly detailing steps to be taken at each stage. However, Labour, without taking any of these steps into consideration and any justifiable rationale, insisted the process was flawed and demanded that Ikeja Electric must recall all disengaged staff.

    “While we remain committed to upholding best human capital processes and stakeholder engagement in fostering excellence in the workplace, there are indications that the propositions of certain actors in the negotiation process are against our resolve to provide improved services to our customers and are fixated on jeopardizing our overall interest to move the industry forward so we had no choice but to withdraw in the interest of our consumers”.

    Ofulue said since the electricity sector had suffered great setback for many decades because of mismanagement, it is time to focus on applying quality human capital to salvage the situation.

    The Ikeja Electric called for restraint to avoid the crippling electricity shutdown that accompanied last month’s strike

    He said Ikeja Electric would resist “any attempt to allow its customers go through another harrowing outage ordeal,” saying that the company will not hesitate to seek redress at the Industrial Court should Labour’s action “worsen the power situation which over the few weeks have been dismal due to grid challenges and gas shortage.”