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Amidst the uncertainty that has become synonymous

with the power sectorin Nigeria, one thing that seems
quite certainis that no end is yet in sight to the endless
darkness which the nation has been plunged by
successiveregimes;both military and civilians. Thb
painsof darknesslinger for Nigerianswho areunableto
reconcilefailed promisesof electricitygenerationand
distribution with overwhelming darkness even as
Nigeriamarksa decadeof civil rule.prospectsof earlier
relief from consuming darkness appear clouded by
selfishpoliticking, colruptionand impunity ofthe ruling
elite.

In the days of the military Nigeriansbracedup to the

reality of disappointmentconstituted by National
ElectricPowcr Authority (NEPA) otherwisepopularly
referredto as "Never Expect power Always';. But th!
agonyof poweroutagegot messierwhenNEPA became
NationalElectricPower plc leavingNigerianswith no
other choicethan to acceptthe refrain:,,NeverExpect
PowerPleaseIightCandle."

Amidst this deepeningfrustration, came the political

transition programme that led to the emergenceof
Obasanjo's administrationin May 29,1999.Not unlike
his predecessors, Obasanjovociferouslydenouncedthe
decayand inefficiency in the power ,..ior promising to
ensureregularpowersupplyin the country.The promise
to revive the power sectorwhich was a major plank of
Obasanjo'scampaign obviously prompted Chief Bola
Ige who emergedMinister in chargeof power and Steel
in 1999 to confidently pledge to turn ,stone to bread'
within a short while. To many Nigerians, the
app.ointment of Ige; eruditescholar,legal luminary and
political icon as the Minister in-chargeof powei was
calculatedto shoreup the credibility ofbbasanjo regime
and to imbue confidence in the capacity oi th.
administrationto deliver. If Bola Ige thoughi patriotic
zealwas sufficientto turn the
Nigeriansnor deliver himself from the intricaciesof the comiption agendaconfirmed that due processeswere
power game in government.He was brutally murdered subvertedin the award of conffacts.Dr. Mrs. Ngozi
in his bed room while servingas Minister of Justiceand Okonjo-Iweala; a World Bank Expert and former
Attorney Generalof Obasanjo's administration! Finance Minister who abandoned Obasanjo's ship
unceremoniouslyrevealedin her testimonythat unusual
PresidentUmar Yar'Adua took over from Obasanjoon concessionsand waiver were given to some of the
May 29, 2007 and joined the bandwagon of empty companies in circumstancesthat underscoredundue
promiseswith pledgeto revive the power sector.Indeed, influenceand compromise.On 12th day of May, 2008,
many Nigerians made poor judgment of Yar'Adua's Minister of State for Finance under the Obasanjo
seeminglypatriotic declarationat the inception of his administration,Hajia Esther Nenadi Usman pointedly
administration. His ability to perform as the chief indictedCrossRiver StateGovernor,Lyei Imoke andDr.
helmsmanwas mistakenly tied to the much publicized OlusegunAgagu both former Governor of Ondo State
but largelyunverifiedtransparencyand achievementsas andonetime Powerand SteelMinistersunderObasanjo.
Governor of Katsina State for eight years. President According Hajia Usman, Imoke reportedly asked for
Yar'Adua'smuch tauntedmodestywhen comparedto the waiver and obtained same notwithstanding her
thieving crowd of the ruling elite was mistaken for recommendationsto the contrary. Imoke like Agagu
capacityto provide leadershipfor the country or even deniedculpability while in office as Minister of Power
transformthepower sector.Yar'Aduatoyedwith the idea and Steelandjustifiedactionson thebasisof exigencyof
of declaring an emergencyin the por'?ersector upon themoment.
assumptionof office. But overwhelmedby the depthof
comrption and rot in the sectorhe has had to reverse However, the actual amount of money sunk into the
himself like he did in somany othercases. power sector by the Obasanjoadministrationremains
shrouded in secrecy. Even with the public hearing
After a year in office, the government of President conductedby the Houseof Representatives, the figures
Ya'Adua went to sleep on the power sector while the appearnot to be for public consumption.The figures
hugedramaconstitutedby the Houseof Representatives' made availableat different times oscillate between$5
probe of the scamuncoveredin the IndependentPower billion and $16 billion dependingon who is providing
Project(IPP) initiatedby Obasanjo'sregime lasted.The the figures and for what purpose.Nigerians however
public hearing conducted by the House of continue to suffer immense epileptic supply of
Representatives' Committee on Power and Steel electricity.Whereasthe FederalGovernmentis believed
following the widely reported scam spiraling into to have spent approximatelyN521 billion in the eight
severalbillions of Dollars appropriatedfor the power years of Obasanjo'sadministration, a breakdown of
sector between 1999 and 2007 is presently the most estimatedfigures below shows that the power sector
disturbing revelation of the comrption that took place gulpedfar in excess.
underthe noseof Obasanjowhoseclaim to transparency
and accountabilitycalled the integrity of everybody's 2003- N6I billion
else into question.With controversiesalready trailing 2004- N71 billion
the probe and allegations of bribery being leveled 2006- N75billion
againstthe HouseCommitteeconductingthe probe,it is 2007- N88billion
almostcertainthat the exercisewill go the way of other 2 008 (Jan-March)-N 24 billio n
similar probes whose reports and recommendations 2 008 (March-D ecember)-4 05 billion
neversawthe light of theday let aloneimplemented.
According to an industrialistwhose companyhas been
Although a schoolof thoughtholds that graft may not be forced to wind up owing to unbearable overhead
the only factor jeopardizing efforts at generating, resultingfrom unavailabilityof electricity,"the situation
transmittingand distributing electricity in the country. at every turn appearsworse than it has ever been"! It is
But revelationsand evidencetenderedat the Elumelu- worrisomethat darknesspersistsdespitethe amountsof
led HouseCommitteeon the probe of the power sector money appropriated so far for the power sector. The
confirmed that contractsworth severalbillions of US figures,accordingto expertsandanalystswere sufficient
Dollars were awarded to companies and contractors to guaranteetransmissionand distribution in the country.
whose certification and competencyremain in doubt. The figures are also believedto surpassthe budgetsof
Testimonies by prime officers of the Obasanjo's some African countries where there is relative steadv
administrationrevealedthat due processwas sidelined supply of electricity.
in the award of the contractsin the power sector and
attested to the monumental fraud that has rendered The questionremains what will be the state of power
power generationimpossiblein Nigeria. "Madam due supply in Nigeria by 2011when Yar'Adua would have
challengesin the power sector;whether short or long owing to politics, the PDP-led Federal Government
term basis. Although the Seven Point Agenda has frustrated the scheme notwithstanding that the Lagos
electricity as an item, popular opinion is that One Point State governmenthad already committed to a bond of
Agenda with electricity as the sole item would be more about N220 million which would be deductedat source
ideal for a governmentled by Yar'Adua given his snail- from the state's share of monthly federal allocation.
like and uninspiring posture in governance. Another intervention was the National IntegratedPower
Unfortunately power supply is at the soul of turning Project (NIPP) originally designed as the NigerDelta
Nigeria's socio-economiccondition positively around. Power Project (NDPP) with sevenmedium sized plants
Power supply affects every other sector in substantial which took on a 'national' outlook in 2005 when
and all embracing manner.There is no doubt that if the President Obasanjo ignored his privatization policy to
crisisin the power sectoris appropriatelyresolved,there make yet another incursion into the power sector.
will be resoundingleaps in other sectorsof national Obasanjocleverly boughtinto the ideawhen he realized
endeavours. that the project could indeedbe funded from the excess
crudeoil revenueaccountbelongingto the threetiers of
Without doubt, previous efforts aimed at reviving the government.
comatosepower sectorfailed largely owing to politics,
comrption and impunity. The Lyel Imoke-ledTechnical Howevera major challengesufferedby the initiativesof
Board of the National Electric Power Authority was theFederalGovernmentwasthe controversiesregarding
commissioned in March 2000 to focus mainly on sourcesof funding. Failure to arrive at a consensuson the
generatingpower through rehabilitation of old units. funding of the IPP through the excesscrude oil account
Indeed funds were releasedby the Federal Government jointly ownedby Federal,Statesand Local Government
to the tune of about $1.3 billion for the supply, Councils becamea major hurdle. Besides,most of the
installationand commissioningof additional materials contractors favoured by certain interests within
and sparepartsfor the rehabilitationworks at the major governmentcircle had no registeredcompaniesto bid
po\\'er stations at..{fam, Sapele,Kainji, Ebiri, Ikorodu, for thejob. Besides,thoseregisteredwere later found to
Akangba and Jebba respecti\,e11'. It was the conviction be lacking in requisite expertiseto undertakeprojects of
ofthe Obasanjoregimethat somethingdrasticand quick such magnitude; resulting in multiple consultancy
neededto be doneto increasethe megax'attsof 1.500 servicesthat in turn increasedthe original appropriation
(out of the installed capacity of 3,500mri') to about for NIPP in 2005 from N322 billion to Nl.210 trillion.
10,000mwinto the national grid by December2005. llore so. a number of these contractors(accordingto
Although a temporary measure, the move was revelation from the House of RepresentativesPublic
approachedsomewhatholistically as additional 4,000 Hearing) have collectedvirrually all that was approved
distribution transformerswere also delivered to boost for them without visiting the site. Indeed,some of the
distributioncapacity.This becamenecessarybecausefor contractorsby some inexplicable reasonsare known to
electricity to be enjoyed eventually by the Nigerian have beenpaid in excessofthe contractsum approved
people, power needed to be generated, effectively forthem.
transmitted in a coordinated manner for efficient
distribution.This was the projectionof the government Crisis in the power sectorhas becomethe pains of the
that by year 2005 all of thesearrangementswould have Nigerian masses.Ten years down the lane of civil
yieldedabout 10,000mw from the unacceptable1,500 governance,the story remains the same.The situation
mw. But behold, the funding of this exercisewas cut has indeed worsened with far reaching economic
short due to the privatization policy of the Federal implications for Nigerians who continue to suffer
Govemmentwhich recognizesthe fact that therecanno excruciatingeconomicand social lossesresulting from
longerbe governmentfunding for a utility that hasbeen epilepticpower supply.The costofpower outageis scary
privatized. Gradually therefore,there was a relapseto as statisticsreveal that N126b is lost annually by the
the old situation with reduced funding and dependence PHCN owing to power cut while Nigerians spend
on the old turbines. The consequenceof such N200billion to purchase fuel to power millions of
inconsistentpolicy left the power sectorin more parlous generatingsets.AWorld Bank report indicatesthat90oh
state. of Companies and factories rely on generators.
Telecommunication(GSM) operatorsspenthuge sums
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration in Lagos to fuel generators leading to high tariff paid by
Statetook a bold step to generateabout 270mw into the Nigerians for telecommunication.More disturbing is
national grid. The entire idea was to import bargesfrom that the high cost ofpower supply is not in term ofmoney
Enron Corporationin the USA. LagosStategovemment alone.Implicationfor the environmentandlivelihoodsis
demonstrated capacityto generateelectricitybut needed grave as shown by the negativeeffectsof pollution and
the cooperationof the FederalGovemmentto transmit emissionwhich contributeto the deteriorationof health.
 'iffiii;A'iii'ili,1.;i'rildila;';T'ffi;"i'dr"i;i,'i'ffif
"';;ffi;t;;'ii"ii.,.il;, fiai#id;';iiii;'s;;ild#k"
deaths.ThirteenmembersofafamilyinlmoStatediedas
a result of explosionfrom generator.Another family of
9ix in Benin City, Edo State, fell victims of similar
incident. The incident in the Obile community in
Ohaji/EgbemaLocal GovemmentArea of Imo Statl the
thirteenmembersof a_familywere reportedlychokedto
death by generator fumes. The victims of the Obile
incident include eight children, two pregnantwomen
andthreemen.Among themwere oneEthelbertJohn,his
wife, maid andfour children.
to a report"thevictims
According werewatching
ffi3:ilff*i#::l#i"'"tt"];tTf;:'f;jr?,*Jlfi:
televisionat night and slept off while thegenerator was
on- They were later found dead in the morning. An
autopsy conductedand releasedto the fficials of the
State Ministry of Heqlth linked the death to carbon
monoxide arising from generator .fumes. A similar
incident was recorded in Obowo Local Government
Area of Imo state in 2007 in which eight persons lost
their lives." The incidentin Edo Stateled to the deathof
a 75 year-old man, Michael Aiwekhoi, his 50-year old
wife and four othermembersof the family. The incident,
the report adds"occu|9d at his lhogbe Streetresidence
in Benin City,claimedthe life of theson of the deceased,
Eric Aiwekhoi, who was to havecompletedhis National
YouthSen'ice Corps (NYSC)programme in February
this year It also claimed the life of a graduate oJ'Auchi
Polytechnic and three others". In July 2008, sixteen
peoplealsodied in Abia Stateafter a prayersession.The
victims reportedlyinhaledpoisonousfumesfrom power
generatingset while they were sleepingafter a prayer
session.
In December 2008, power generationin the country
dropped from about 2,600 megawattsto about 1,200 *
megawatts.The nationaldemandfor power is estimated
to be about 10,000megawatts.Increasingdeathsby
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H O WT O B E C OMEA ME MB E R
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tor*re oeience
i
.
failu.e to tackle the energy problem. The economic
implications of erratic poi.t iupply has been a major
concernforNigerians. Froductive^capacitiesof various
categories oi Artiruns like Hairdressers, pepper
Grinders,Welders,Tailorsandothersmallscalebusiness
centersarebeengrosslyhindered.Now the situationhas
ignited crisis in the sustainablelivelihoods activitiesof
low incomefamilies who eithersolely rely daily returns
from small scaleengagementfor survival or thosewho
dependon this activitiesto augmenteamingsfrom paid
with high cost of fueling po*., gene'rating
planis. Some
companiesthat have minaged t6 stay afloat up to 2009
are considering relocating to neighbouring iountries,
notablyGhanawherestableelectric-ityisguaranteed.
coNCLUSIoN
By and large,it is clear that no solutionis yet in sight as
darknesspersistsacrossthe country.In thelast ten"years
of civil rule, the power sector has been enmeshedin
combinationof the ills ofpolitics andcomrptiontypified
by ambivalent policy, iulture of impunity. Oidina.y
Nigerians howevbr remain victims ofihe ugly ,,power
play", crasscorruptionand unmitigatedirnpunity in the
powersector.
We can all reclaim our rightsto constantsupplyof
electricityby demanding:
* Independentprobe of the power sector
:k Prosecutionof all indicted fbr corruption
without further delay
Regular electricity as campaign
issueat the next election.
HOWTO FORMA UNITOF CDHR
Applicationto form a Unit must be signed
by at leastfive (5) membersand submitted
to the Branch or the National Secretariat.
Visit www.cdhrnigeria.orgfor further details
oi *iimii-Riiih6idbiHi""""l