By Oke Peter
The Coalition for Affordable and Regular Electricity has called on the Federal Government to once again nationalise the power sector, invest massively in it and introduce democratic and transparent management.
The group, in a statement on Friday, described the reversal of the privatisation as the only way the electricity needs of Nigerians would be met.
“CARE is also demanding that the distribution companies should issue prepaid meters to all consumers as a way to end extortionist outrageous billing,” it said.
The group stated that many communities in Lagos State had been thrown into darkness since April 9, 2018, with no official explanation by the Federal Government or the power companies.
It said due to dilapidated transmission and distribution facilities, many consumers were suffering blackout despite the marginal improvement in electricity generation.
According to the group, the power companies lack the capacity to bring about sustainable improvement and stability in the supply of electricity.
It said, “Despite a massive investment of over $20bn in the sector, Nigeria has only generated additional 4,500MW and just about three quarter of it gets to consumers due to poor transmission and distribution network and facilities. The amount expended on the power sector in the last 15 years is enough to guarantee at least 17,000MW with efficient transmission and distribution infrastructure.
“Just recently, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government bragged that electricity generation had reached 7,000MW, but Nigeria requires much more than that. Nigeria requires substantial upgrade in transmission and distribution infrastructure.”
CARE stated that the power companies had performed poorly despite the bailout of over N200bn given to them and the increase in tariff.
