It’s not FG’s fault Nigerians don’t have stable electricity, Fashola declares

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has declared that the current power challenges faced by Nigerians was none of the business of the Federal government.

At the Nextier Power Dialogue on Wednesday night in Abuja, Fashola simply declared, “if you don’t have power, it is not the government’s problem. Let us be honest.”

While defending his declaration, the former governor of Lagos state, said the Ministry of Power was incapacitated in generating enough power for the country because the PDP administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan already sold assets belonging to the ministry before he came into office.

He said, “There are problems without a doubt and we must deal with them. But let me remind you, all of the assets that the Ministry of Power used to control for power have been sold by the last administration before I came. And so if you don’t have power, it is not the government’s problem. Let us be honest.”

He also said Nigerians should not come to him if they do not have power to charge their mobile phones, saying that the privatisation of power generation in the country had left the issue of power outside his jurisdiction.

“The people who are operating the power sector, generation and distribution are now privately owned companies. I am here because I am concerned. If your telephone is not working, it is not the minister of communication that you go to. Let us be very clear.”

He urged power consumers to take up issues with the companies.

“So for those of you who want to weaponise electricity, face the businessmen who have taken it up. Let us be honest. If your bank over-charges you interest, is it the minister of finance you go to? So let’s be clear. This is now a private business by Act of parliament 2005.

“My role is regulatory, oversight and policy, but I have a problem which is the fact that I can’t see a problem and turn my back, so I’m getting involved. So the people you should be talking to about transformers is not me, the ministry doesn’t supply transformers anymore.”

According to the Executive Director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Mr Sunday Oduntan, Nigeria must generate at least 180,000 megawatts of electricity to have adequate and stable power supply.

Nigeria’s power generation rose to a record 7,000 megawatts in August this year while the country generated around 4000 megawatts in October.

The Minister was recently quoted to have said the solution to power problem in Nigeria requires magic.

At the Nextier Power Dialogue on Wednesday night in Abuja, Fashola simply declared, “if you don’t have power, it is not the government’s problem. Let us be honest.”

While defending his declaration, the former governor of Lagos state, said the Ministry of Power was incapacitated in generating enough power for the country because the PDP administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan already sold assets belonging to the ministry before he came into office.

He said, “There are problems without a doubt and we must deal with them. But let me remind you, all of the assets that the Ministry of Power used to control for power have been sold by the last administration before I came. And so if you don’t have power, it is not the government’s problem. Let us be honest.”

He also said Nigerians should not come to him if they do not have power to charge their mobile phones,  saying that the privatisation of  power generation in the country had left the issue of power outside his jurisdiction.

“The people who are operating the power sector, generation and distribution are now privately owned companies. I am here because I am concerned. If your telephone is not working, it is not the minister of communication that you go to. Let us be very clear.”

Read also: NERC laments low remittance by Discos

He urged power consumers to take up issues with the companies.

“So for those of you who want to weaponise electricity, face the businessmen who have taken it up. Let us be honest. If your bank over-charges you interest, is it the minister of finance you go to? So let’s be clear. This is now a private business by Act of parliament 2005.

“My role is regulatory, oversight and policy, but I have a problem which is the fact that I can’t see a problem and turn my back, so I’m getting involved. So the people you should be talking to about transformers is not me, the ministry doesn’t supply transformers anymore.”

According to the Executive Director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Mr Sunday Oduntan, Nigeria must generate at least 180,000 megawatts of electricity to have adequate and stable power supply.

Nigeria’s power generation rose to a record 7,000 megawatts in August this year while the country generated around 4000 megawatts in October.

The Minister was recently quoted to have said the solution to power problem in Nigeria  requires magic.

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