We ‘ll run generator importers out of business – Nebo

… Warns against short-changing electricity consumers

From DENNIS MERNYI, Abuja

Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo has directed that all issues surrounding metering and unfair billing be resolved immediately without any Nigerian being short-changed.

Nebo, who assured Nigerians that at the end of the on-going privatisation, Nigerians will heave a sigh of relief, said generator importers will soon be eased out of business.

Giving the directive in Abuja, the Minister attribute the sector’s neglect to the wrong notion that classified power as a social welfare service.

He observed that it was only from 1999 with the return of Nigeria to Democracy that the gross neglect got addressed. He stated for instance, that while for 17 years, no single engineer was hired in the power sector, this huge gap in human capacity required to run the sector, is being bridged with the on-going recruitment of young Nigerian engineers.

Prof. Nebo, who said the current power generation was more than 4000MW, further disclosed that before President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the country was producing just over 2000MW, noting that the current 4,500MW, was an achievement.

He stated therefore that all hands must be on deck to improve the power generation as the present capacity of 4000MW was unacceptable considering the nation’s population and potentials as “giant of Africa”.

The Minister further stated that government was committed to diversifying energy generation capacity to include renewable energy such as wind, solar, coal, biomass and small hydro. He also commented on the Energy Policy and energy efficiency initiatives of the administration.

On the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), he said before the coming on board of President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention, the agency was abandoned, but the present administration revived it making it more effective in the provision of electricity off grid to rural dwellers.

On labour issues, the minister said that he has directed the commencement of payment of severance package to PHCN staff on which about N384 billion would be expended with additional N16billion to pay other retirees and pensioners of the company.