The Deputy National Organising Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Chidi Duru, urged the Federal Government to reconsider the agreement with electricity providers in the country due to what he called their 'enormous failure.'
Duru mentioned that the fact that Nigerians still purchase their transformers, cables, poles, and other electrical materials from the service providers is enough evidence that the providers have not met their expectations.
The APC chieftain made this appeal at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
His concern arises following criticism from the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, pointing out that Nigerians keep their freezers and air conditioners on even when they are not at home.
Adelabu, who has been heavily criticized for his statement, reiterated at a media meeting last Thursday that people lack power consumption management culture due to its affordability.
In response to the recent increase through segmentation of consumers in bands, Duru informed reporters that the failure of the service providers to enhance their services in the past 15 years was a clear indication of their continued exploitation of Nigerians.
When asked if he is calling for the government to review its concession plan, Duru replied that it is the only way forward as Nigerians are losing patience.
He stated, 'Of course, it has come to that. If they review the terms of the contract signed with the operators and if there is sufficient reason, the government should take over the agencies, DisCo and GenCo. It should be because none of them has delivered on the duties imposed on that contract.'
He remarked, 'Otherwise, why is it that Nigerians are still buying their transformers, and cables, providing electricity for themselves, still generating power through other sources and still consuming diesel at inappropriate levels?'
'Those selling generators are selling more than before, and the volume of kilowatts of power available in the country continues to hover around 2,000 to 6,000 and never goes beyond that. Is that not a reflection that there is not enough investment in that industry and a reflection that those operators don’t understand the business?'
'If the regulators, like the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, are doing their work, they would have brought to book the operators in the power sector segment, particularly the value chain, and not them continuing to impose an obligation on citizens for no faults of theirs other than the inappropriate concession of a very significant part of the economy, which is the power sector in Nigeria.'
'It was sold to people with little or no experience. Our national patrimony was handed over to them and rather than invest in the sector, they saw the sector as an avenue to make money and to undermine the country and citizens of Nigeria. This incessant increase in tariff will continue endlessly if nothing is done to ensure that these people are brought to account for what needs to be done.'
