One of the problems Nigerians have learnt to cope with over
the years is epileptic power supply. Each house or business now relies on its
own power generating set; meanwhile, smart businessmen have made billions of
Naira from the importation of generators as well as the installation of
inverters and solar powered panels. Sadly, Nigeria’s power sector has gulped
billions of dollars since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999 with successive
administrations claiming to be working on it.
While Nigerians in different locations continue to lament
the power situation in the country, some have opined that power is one of the
sectors that should be put as top priority by the new government. Meanwhile, as
Nigerians blame the electricity distribution companies for the high cost of
electricity which people incidentally don’t get to use, a staff of the Ibadan
Electricity Distribution Company, who spoke with The Anchor Online on the
condition of anonymity, disclosed that “we are not to blame, we don’t generate
power. We only distribute and if there is nothing to distribute, what do we do?
We are not generating, our mandate is to distribute and you cannot distribute
what you don’t have”.
Adeyemo Razak, a resident of Ikare Akoko in Ondo State
pointed out that he pays N 5,000 for enjoying power
supply for 2 weeks. From Mr. Pius Ojeila’s comment, it could be deduced that
the situation in Asaba, Delta State is somehow similar. “One month is N 9, 000
per flat in Asaba”, he said. Describing the situation as “pathetic”, Mr. Ojeila
revealed that at times, “power supply is enjoyed only thrice in a month and the
supply might not even last more than an hour”.
Dr. Odutola who runs a hospital
in Ibadan mostly depends on his generators and inverter. He said “power is so
bad in my area. I pay an average of N 7000 naira monthly despite not having
electricity supply for days. We have an average supply of 3 hours in a week”.
Residents of Mokola Housing
Estate in Ibadan also complained. Mr. Olumide Ogundeji who lives in the estate
said “our bills are far greater than what we consume, the salt upon injury is
that we had to contribute N120,000 to replace a cable IBEDC claimed was stolen,
after over 5 weeks of darkness, after which they still brought bills for us to
pay for the darkness period”.
Mr. Osanyintuyi of Magodo
Shangisha in Lagos disclosed that around the peak of the period of fuel
scarcity, he and his neighbours had to endure almost a week without power. “Day
6 and still counting and not one minute of electricity supply. I have a postpaid
meter so, to the extent it is functioning properly, billing is still okay at
their N13. 21 / Kwh, but not having light at all for so long is history in the
making since I have been here”.
While chatting with The
Anchor Online’s correspondent, Mr. Daranijo disclosed that “in Zartech
area of Oluyole Estate, Ibadan, we have light only in the midnight, probably for
the use of witches and wizards and it is once in a week you have power during
the day. As for the bill, it is at least N 3,000 per month but if we have it
for 3days at a stretch then the bill is N 5,000, no story”.
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