The Senate on Thursday set up a
13-member Ad-Hoc Committee to carry out a comprehensive investigation
into the management of funds so far appropriated for the power sector
since 1999.
The Committee, headed by Senator
Abubakar Kyari, was also given the task of probing the unbundling of the
defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria by the Federal Government.
The Upper Chamber took the decision
while passing a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume,
seeking the immediate reconnection of some parts of Borno State back to
the national grid in view of the challenges the blackout was posing to
his constituents.
The Senate urged the Federal Government
to complete the Mambilla Power Project with the aim of improving
electricity supply in the country.
It also called on President Muhammadu
Buhari to direct the Transmission Company of Nigeria to immediately
reconnect Maiduguri to the national grid.
It also directed the committee to conclude its investigations and report to the Senate within two weeks.
The senators, while contributing to the
debate, also condemned the inability of the TCN to provide uninterrupted
power supply to all parts of the country.
Ndume had expressed concern that
Nigeria, with a population of over 150 million, produced only 4,600
megawatts, while South Africa with a population of about 40 million
people produced 40,000 megawatts.
He observed that the disconnection of
Maiduguri , the Borno State capital, from the national grid, as well as
the degeneration of power supply across the country had affected the
economy negatively.
Ndume also expressed concern that with
an installed power generation potential of about 5,000 megawatts, the
output distributed currently was about 1,950 megawatts.
He added that it was disheartening to
note that Iran with over 77 million people “generates about 42,000
megawatts, while South Korea with over 49 million people generates about
60,000 megawatts of electricity.”
Ndume, who said that Maiduguri and its
environs had been completely disconnected since the emergence of
insurgency, complained that the situation had grounded economic
activities in the state.
He said, “I buy diesel to run my
generator and that costs me N10, 000 per day. No country can be said to
be near development when there is no power.
“This Senate needs to investigate this
to give the government support. For some years now, a lot of money has
been spent but there is nothing to show for it.”
Senator Danjuma Goje in his contribution
said that the motion was apt in view of the untold suffering that lack
of power supply had caused Nigerians.
Senator Godswill Akpabio lamented that many companies had shut down operation due to irregular power supply in the country.
He lamented that in spite of the
financial contribution by some states in the South to improve power
supply, Nigerians were still grappling with lack of electricity supply.
He said, “In 2015, we are celebrating
4,000 megawatts, for me this is worrisome. We cannot have employment
without power and Nigerians are complaining about the high cost and some
localities which have not seen light for months are asked to pay high
tariff.”
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, noted
that the inadequate power supply in the country was a cause for concern,
saying it had affected the economic growth of the nation.
He observed that the lack of power supply had plunged the country into further hardship, besides corruption.
He said, “We thought that with the Power
Reform Act and the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria,
we will begin to see improvement with regard to power supply;
unfortunately, it is not so.
“The Ad Hoc Committee that we set up
should look at the activities of the Discos and what is preventing
Nigerians from benefitting from the unbundling of the PHCN.”
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