Dear Electricity users

Dear Electricity users in Naija: I salute Everybody

Enoruwa's Environment

Naija I hail

I salute Everybody. Especially una wey nol dey get light for naija and those weh dey enjoy light 24hrs but nol dey pay bill or dey use government funds to settle things. Una well don.

Let me try to answer two questions that might interest Nigerians and Power Administrators in Nigeria.

First, Please who is helping me inform @NGRSenate and the @HouseNGR that the problem with electricity is not the cost to the drivers but the drivers insincerity and lack of transparency. They keep saying they need more funds to upscale. We are tired of hearing that.

With so much already invested in power, distribution is epileptic…why can’t we have better supply? Nigerians will pay any hike but @NERCNG must get it right. Serve Nigerians better, improve power supply and thereafter, price hike….no complaints

Question 1: Is the quest for increased electricity tariff justified?

Yes. In my opinion, we (Nigerians) aren’t paying enough for electricity. However, the current supply is nothing to write home about considering how much investments, and policy formulations that have gone into power. Let me not try to publish the billions of Naira that have gone into improving power supply in the last 20years.

Question 2: Do I have issues with the administration of power in Nigeria?

Yes. Something is obviously wrong with the politics surrounding power administration in Nigeria. There have been improvements though. Yes, this administration has done its bit and continues in the right lane. The privatization deal; the investments, the funding….all have question marks.

Some users continue to pay thousands monthly as a result of estimated billings. The electricity staff, I mean the field workers continue to oppress Nigerians and demand exorbitant amounts for connection and reconnection. The oppression is something to talk about, very saddening. You need to see a real-life scenario.

I agree that some users play smart. They connect illegally and continue to enjoy supply without payment. Do you blame them? Poverty, wickedness, and ignorance…not sure what the cause of such an act is…one thing I am sure is that, if the administration is properly handled, such users should be made to pay severely. No cutting corners.

I hear in some areas of Lagos State and FCT, Abuja that power supply is nearly 16hours per day. In fact, in Benin City, some areas enjoy 24 hours of power supply. Yes, you guess correctly. They are connected to the “Special Line”….That is the line meant for the special ones. Well, I don’t know of the Lagos and Abuja residents, but in Benin, the foreign companies pay the bills, get the power supply originally met for the public. The public shares the remnant thereafter.

Sometimes, some communities wait for almost 2 years for a new transformer to be installed and commissioned. That is after contributing to buy the transformer. We are not used to receiving new transformers or any of such electricity supply items free from electricity distributors. So you see the several challenges. I didn’t mention the cabals into the generator business and their resistance to improved power supply…

Finally, let me advise the drivers of our power system, I hope they hear and get to read this…Please tell them I said they should get the power administration right first before the price hike. I am near certain Nigerians will pay for the price hike. Yes, we can afford it. Then we will gladly pay. Until then, big applause to the House of Reps and Senate for deferring the price hike to 2021. I hope we do not have a reason for yet another deferral after 2021. I suspect so…considering the many unfortunate things surrounding power at the moment.

Before then,

@NERCNG and all stakeholders must ensure power supply and power administration is improved on. For instance, an average house in Nigeria should have nothing less than 12 hours steady power; no to estimated billing, provide meters for all. It is possible!

In my dreams, one day, Nigerians will enjoy a 24hours supply of power. Should I continue to dream?

Kenneth Enoruwa

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