By Chris Ochayi
ABUJA: The Minister of Power, Professor
Chinedu Nebo has expressed sadness
over the plight Nigerians huge gap in
distribution of meters to electricity
consumers, saying that only about 50% of
Nigerians have access to the products.
Prof Chinedu Nebo
Prof Chinedu Nebo
Prof. Nebo who made the remarks while
speaking on Good Morning Nigeria, a
magazine programme of the Nigerian
Television Authority, NTA, noted that it is
this distress in the sector that informed
the plan by Government to inject one
million meters.
He added that the one million meters
would be procured from local
manufacturers in order to encourage
them.
Nebo also observed that since the advent
of private sector led generation and
distribution sub-sectors, a little over a
year ago, there has been huge injection of
funds, by the investors, towards
revamping the inherited assets.
This he said, has led to substantial
increase in capacities of Egbin and Ughelli
thermal plants as well as Kainji Hydro
station, which had been in comatose for
many years before now. For instance he
said, an extra 220MW has been
reportedly recovered from Egbin only last
week, as a result of the successful repair
of its 6th turbine, blown up about 9 years
ago.
He said that the development assisted
Government to switch attention to other
things, as such, the many years of neglect
of the power sector is steadily being
redressed.
Professor Nebo said a lot has happened
since this exercise with all actors trying
hard to adjust, adding that privatization of
the power sector has contributed
immensely to service delivery to the end
users.
On line of communication for customers
with complaints, the Minister said that
customers have direct contact with their
various Distribution Companies through
the designated Business Centres, he
advised customers to lodge their
complaints through this channel and if
unsatisfied to contact NERC Offices even
at the zones.
Prof. Nebo also explained that the
recently announced intervention fund is a
soft loan arising from Synergy with
stakeholders including the CBN, Ministries
of Petroleum Resources, Power and
Finance, aimed at infusing liquidity into
the Electricity market, so that customers
are not over taxed. The fund will also
help to offset debts owed to gas
suppliers.
Speaking on the new gas tariff, the
Minister insisted that this was the first
time a cost reflective tariff that will assist
all actors recoup their investment has
been put in place, hence gas suppliers are
encouraged, while end users of gas will
be assured of supply.
On acts of vandalism of Gas infrastructure,
the Minister said henceforth Government
will redouble its efforts through synergy
with other security agencies like the Navy,
National Security Adviser’s Office, Civil
Defence Corps, Police and the Army, in
addition it would use digital ststem to
curb the menace.
Prof. Nebo said before the advent of
President Goodluck Jonathan
Administration, there was no policy on
renewable energy and energy efficiency,
but now, a workable policy is at its final
stage, as Government intends to energize
large populations of people living in the
rural areas.
Through solar-powered energy sources,
rural communities that are so far flung
that it would take 2 decades to get them
connected to the national grid, would get
electricity, because with privatization they
would be classified as non-viable by
investors.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/power-50-nigerians-access-meters-nebo
I honestly don't knw what dis people r smoking over there.