ON THE “WASTED GENERATION” CAPTION WHO CANNOT FIX ORDINARY ELECTRICITY IN 60 YEARS
March 20, 2021 | News
I am sure many of you "guys” must have seen the cropped picture online that has all the past and present political leaders of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1960 to date, with the caption: “Wasted Generation. Ordinary Electricity, they cannot fix in 60 years.”
ON THE “WASTED GENERATION” CAPTION WHO CANNOT FIX ORDINARY ELECTRICITY IN 60 YEARS
I am sure many of you "guys” must have seen the cropped picture online that has all the past and present political leaders of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1960 to date, with the caption: “Wasted Generation. Ordinary Electricity, they cannot fix in 60 years.” While the said caption might be seen as a bit too hard and harsh, but sadly, that has been the stark reality facing the Nigerian society since it gained independence.
Considering the importance of power generation, which cannot be over emphasized for any modern society to thrive economically, one would have expected that by now, successive Nigerian Governments would have been able to do whatever it takes to address the nation’s power supply sector. For when there is more power, there will be more employment opportunities income, high life expectancy, and better conditions/quality of life. Power generation is like the engine, the heart beat for industrial growth and the key for enhanced economic activities of any nation. We cannot move forward or do anything without constant uninterrupted power supply. But it has been over 60 years, and that has not happened, despite all the funds said to have been poured into the sector.
So, we can understand the caption of the said picture which has all Nigeria’s past and present leaders – from Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1960-1966), Chief Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe (Oct.1 1963- Jan.16,1966), Maj. Gen. Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi (Jan.16, 1966- Jul.28, 1966), Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Aug.1,1966 – Jul.29,1975), Gen. Murtala Ramat Mohammed (Jul.29,1975 – Feb.13,1976), Gen. Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Mathew Obasanjo (Feb.13,1976 – Oct.1, 1979), Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (Oct.1, 1979 – Dec.31,1983), Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Dec.31,1983 – Aug. 27,1985), Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Aug.27,1985 – Aug.27,1993), Chief Ernest Adekunle Oladeinde Shonekan (Aug.26,1993 – Nov.17, 1993), Gen. Sani Abacha (Nov.17,1993 – June 8,1998), Gen. Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar (June 9,1998 – May 29,1999), to Gen. Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Mathew Obasanjo - Rtd (May 29, 1999 – May 29, 2007), Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (May 29, 2007 – May 5, 2010), Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (May 6,2010 – May 29, 2015), Muhammadu Buhari (May 29, 2015 – Date).
While they all have their own share of the blame in not being able to address the nation’s power supply problem, we can exonerate and excuse the likes of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Maj. Gen. Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, Murtala Mohammed, Chief Ernest Shonekan and Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, whose circumstances that surrounded them when they were in office, could not have allowed them to do much. In other words, these past leaders will not take much of the blame because Azikiwe for instance, was a Ceremonial Head of State who had no Executive powers. Murtala Mohammed regime was brief. So was that of Ernest Shonekan and Yar'Adua who was ill in most part of the years in Office before he eventually died. But the rest of the past leaders stated, including the current President who was also a one-time Head of State; have all goofed and failed to make electricity supply available to the Nigerian populace, despite the billions and trillions of Dollars/Naira spent on the power sector in all these years.
In 2017, a report by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had revealed how over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply was allegedly squandered under past governments. According to the report, “The total estimated financial loss to Nigeria from corruption in the electricity sector starting from the return to democracy in 1999 to date (2017) is over Eleven Trillion Naira (N11 Trillion Naira). This represents public funds, private equity and social investment (or divestments) in the power sector. It is estimated that it may reach over Twenty Trillion Naira (N20 Trillion Naira) in the next decade given the rate of Government investment and funding in the power sector amidst dwindling fortune and recurrent revenue shortfalls.”
The report showed that, “The much-publicized power sector reforms in Nigeria under the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005 is yet to yield desired and/or anticipated fruits largely due to corruption and impunity of perpetrators, regulatory lapses and policy inconsistencies. Ordinary Nigerians continue to pay the price for corruption in the electricity sector–staying in darkness, but still made to pay crazy electricity bills.”
We are also aware of the questions that were raised over the $16 billion allegedly spent on Nigeria’s power sector during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Then in 2019, the Federal Government was said to have, in the past three years, spent N1.7 trillion on Nigeria’s electricity sector. This was revealed by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, in 2019. In his words, El-Rufai said: “the entire (electricity) sector is broken,” - such expenditure by the Muhammadu Buhari administration on a privatized sector was “unsustainable.”
The big question on our lips is, if all of these huge funds were spent, and still being spent on the nation’s power sector, how come Nigeria’s per capita electricity consumption is amongst the lowest in the world and far lower than many other African countries? Nigeria’s per capita electricity consumption is just seven per cent of Brazil’s and about three per cent of South Africa’s. Brazil has 100,000MW (Megawatts) of grid-based generating capacity for a population of 201 million people. South Africa has 40,000MW of grid-based generating capacity for a population of about 60 million people. Yet, the relevant Authorities of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TNC) under the present Buhari administration were making noise in January 2021 over the generation of 5,552.8 Megawatts of electricity (said to be a new peak), for a population that is over 200 million.
In fact, we can say that the worst of all, amongst the stated political leaders in Nigeria, is the Buhari administration because the supposed recorded success by them in the power sector, is only available in their media propaganda by their media team, and not in the reality. This is what they have been doing, in their usual style of always singing praises of themselves and their supposed achievements. And of course, the only thing the President Buhari-led administration is very good at, and knows how to do well, is blame and keep blaming former administrations for their ineptitude and failures in addressing the nation’s power sector problem.
The country’s power distribution infrastructure is in total mess, that it will only take a Government with the WILL and determination to address it head-on. While we are aware that Power Generation and Transmission in the country still needs to be improved upon, however, it is imperative to note that the Power Distribution aspect is where the major problems are. And the Power Distribution Companies (DISCOS) are not helping matters with their gross incompetence, lack of capacity, capability and the wherewithal to address the many issues in that sector of power supply. The most annoying aspect about all of this is the fact that Nigeria is blessed beyond measure with the natural resources and wherewithal to transform the nation’s power sector which has been ‘generator-driven’ for years, into what it ought not to be. Even when suggestions are brought forward by relevant stakeholders and concerned Nigerians, on ways to address the nation’s power supply problem, our Nigerian Government Officials concerned have formed the habit of playing deaf ears, and not telling Mr. President the basic truth about the worsening power supply situation in the country.
When the Buhari administration came onto power in 2015, I wrote several letters to his Office, advising him that: if the power sector problem becomes the only problem the President Buhari government can holistically address within the next couple of years, his name will be written in gold in the country’s history, and Nigerians will always remember him and be grateful for it. But after about six years of this administration, the power sector problem in Nigeria has moved from bad to worse, and there seems to be no hope in sight for things to get better. It is just sad!
Zik Gbemre.
March 20, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
I am sure many of you "guys” must have seen the cropped picture online that has all the past and present political leaders of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1960 to date, with the caption: “Wasted Generation. Ordinary Electricity, they cannot fix in 60 years.” While the said caption might be seen as a bit too hard and harsh, but sadly, that has been the stark reality facing the Nigerian society since it gained independence.
Considering the importance of power generation, which cannot be over emphasized for any modern society to thrive economically, one would have expected that by now, successive Nigerian Governments would have been able to do whatever it takes to address the nation’s power supply sector. For when there is more power, there will be more employment opportunities income, high life expectancy, and better conditions/quality of life. Power generation is like the engine, the heart beat for industrial growth and the key for enhanced economic activities of any nation. We cannot move forward or do anything without constant uninterrupted power supply. But it has been over 60 years, and that has not happened, despite all the funds said to have been poured into the sector.
So, we can understand the caption of the said picture which has all Nigeria’s past and present leaders – from Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1960-1966), Chief Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe (Oct.1 1963- Jan.16,1966), Maj. Gen. Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi (Jan.16, 1966- Jul.28, 1966), Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Aug.1,1966 – Jul.29,1975), Gen. Murtala Ramat Mohammed (Jul.29,1975 – Feb.13,1976), Gen. Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Mathew Obasanjo (Feb.13,1976 – Oct.1, 1979), Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (Oct.1, 1979 – Dec.31,1983), Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Dec.31,1983 – Aug. 27,1985), Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Aug.27,1985 – Aug.27,1993), Chief Ernest Adekunle Oladeinde Shonekan (Aug.26,1993 – Nov.17, 1993), Gen. Sani Abacha (Nov.17,1993 – June 8,1998), Gen. Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar (June 9,1998 – May 29,1999), to Gen. Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Mathew Obasanjo - Rtd (May 29, 1999 – May 29, 2007), Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (May 29, 2007 – May 5, 2010), Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (May 6,2010 – May 29, 2015), Muhammadu Buhari (May 29, 2015 – Date).
While they all have their own share of the blame in not being able to address the nation’s power supply problem, we can exonerate and excuse the likes of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Maj. Gen. Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, Murtala Mohammed, Chief Ernest Shonekan and Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, whose circumstances that surrounded them when they were in office, could not have allowed them to do much. In other words, these past leaders will not take much of the blame because Azikiwe for instance, was a Ceremonial Head of State who had no Executive powers. Murtala Mohammed regime was brief. So was that of Ernest Shonekan and Yar'Adua who was ill in most part of the years in Office before he eventually died. But the rest of the past leaders stated, including the current President who was also a one-time Head of State; have all goofed and failed to make electricity supply available to the Nigerian populace, despite the billions and trillions of Dollars/Naira spent on the power sector in all these years.
In 2017, a report by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had revealed how over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply was allegedly squandered under past governments. According to the report, “The total estimated financial loss to Nigeria from corruption in the electricity sector starting from the return to democracy in 1999 to date (2017) is over Eleven Trillion Naira (N11 Trillion Naira). This represents public funds, private equity and social investment (or divestments) in the power sector. It is estimated that it may reach over Twenty Trillion Naira (N20 Trillion Naira) in the next decade given the rate of Government investment and funding in the power sector amidst dwindling fortune and recurrent revenue shortfalls.”
The report showed that, “The much-publicized power sector reforms in Nigeria under the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005 is yet to yield desired and/or anticipated fruits largely due to corruption and impunity of perpetrators, regulatory lapses and policy inconsistencies. Ordinary Nigerians continue to pay the price for corruption in the electricity sector–staying in darkness, but still made to pay crazy electricity bills.”
We are also aware of the questions that were raised over the $16 billion allegedly spent on Nigeria’s power sector during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Then in 2019, the Federal Government was said to have, in the past three years, spent N1.7 trillion on Nigeria’s electricity sector. This was revealed by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, in 2019. In his words, El-Rufai said: “the entire (electricity) sector is broken,” - such expenditure by the Muhammadu Buhari administration on a privatized sector was “unsustainable.”
The big question on our lips is, if all of these huge funds were spent, and still being spent on the nation’s power sector, how come Nigeria’s per capita electricity consumption is amongst the lowest in the world and far lower than many other African countries? Nigeria’s per capita electricity consumption is just seven per cent of Brazil’s and about three per cent of South Africa’s. Brazil has 100,000MW (Megawatts) of grid-based generating capacity for a population of 201 million people. South Africa has 40,000MW of grid-based generating capacity for a population of about 60 million people. Yet, the relevant Authorities of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TNC) under the present Buhari administration were making noise in January 2021 over the generation of 5,552.8 Megawatts of electricity (said to be a new peak), for a population that is over 200 million.
In fact, we can say that the worst of all, amongst the stated political leaders in Nigeria, is the Buhari administration because the supposed recorded success by them in the power sector, is only available in their media propaganda by their media team, and not in the reality. This is what they have been doing, in their usual style of always singing praises of themselves and their supposed achievements. And of course, the only thing the President Buhari-led administration is very good at, and knows how to do well, is blame and keep blaming former administrations for their ineptitude and failures in addressing the nation’s power sector problem.
The country’s power distribution infrastructure is in total mess, that it will only take a Government with the WILL and determination to address it head-on. While we are aware that Power Generation and Transmission in the country still needs to be improved upon, however, it is imperative to note that the Power Distribution aspect is where the major problems are. And the Power Distribution Companies (DISCOS) are not helping matters with their gross incompetence, lack of capacity, capability and the wherewithal to address the many issues in that sector of power supply. The most annoying aspect about all of this is the fact that Nigeria is blessed beyond measure with the natural resources and wherewithal to transform the nation’s power sector which has been ‘generator-driven’ for years, into what it ought not to be. Even when suggestions are brought forward by relevant stakeholders and concerned Nigerians, on ways to address the nation’s power supply problem, our Nigerian Government Officials concerned have formed the habit of playing deaf ears, and not telling Mr. President the basic truth about the worsening power supply situation in the country.
When the Buhari administration came onto power in 2015, I wrote several letters to his Office, advising him that: if the power sector problem becomes the only problem the President Buhari government can holistically address within the next couple of years, his name will be written in gold in the country’s history, and Nigerians will always remember him and be grateful for it. But after about six years of this administration, the power sector problem in Nigeria has moved from bad to worse, and there seems to be no hope in sight for things to get better. It is just sad!
Zik Gbemre.
March 20, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes