The Looming Nationwide Blackout By Ayodeji Ajayi

Wonders will never end, especially in Nigeria where it is common for underperforming service providers in critical sectors of national economy to flagrantly shut down operations based on frivolous, laughable and condemnable reasons. In the process of exhibiting their behavioural traits that border on rascality, recklessness and lawlessness, they bring untold hardships to millions of hapless and helpless Nigerians most of whom have been battered by abject poverty over the years.

This was why many Nigerians must have been profoundly shocked when they learnt recently that electricity workers under the umbrella of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) had threatened to shut down operations thereby throwing the entire country into total blackout. What an audacity! According to media reports, SSAEAC members had threatened to carry out their obviously weird action which has been generating condemnations from millions of Nigerians across the country following allegations of administrative irregularities and high-handedness preferred against Management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

On August 14, 2018, the aggrieved TCN workers reportedly picketed the company’s premises in Abuja during which they accused the company’s Managing Director, Usman Gur Mohammed, of their woes and urged Federal Government to sack him. General Secretary of SSAEAC, Umar Abubakar listed Mohammed’s alleged wrongdoings against TCN and staff to include the following: Single-handedly conducted examinations for staff due for promotion without recourse to input from other Management staff; defaulted in remittance of appropriate taxes to FIRS, leading to sealing off of company even before the workers’ protest; hijacked some funds provided by the World Bank for power sector projects; interference in union activities by trying to polarise the union, as well as cleared a large consignment of electrical materials from foreign donors at the ports but failed to deliver them to company’s warehouse for accountability before distribution to relevant sections for official use.

SSAEAC reportedly claimed that moves by both the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige and Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, to resolve the lingering issue failed due to Mohammed’s refusal to attend meetings organised by relevant stakeholders for the purpose. According to media reports, written boldly on one of the placards carried by protesters were: “Sack U.G Mohammed now to guarantee hope for power sector”. Incidentally, exactly two weeks before the protesters picketed premises of TCN in Abuja, the embattled Mohammed who is also Chairman of West African Power Pool (WAPP), had reportedly accused the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS) of being the weakest link in the electricity supply value chain in spite of efforts by TCN to strengthen transmission lines for improved electricity supply.

The frosty relationship between DISCOS and TCN which has inevitably led to unending accusations and counter-accusations between the two parties over the on-going epileptic electricity supply has further deepened the age-long debilitating crises rocking the corruption-ridden power sector. While TCN, through Mohammed, had described DISCOS as weak link in electricity supply value chain, the DISCOS, through Engr. John Ayodele of Ibadan Distribution Company, refuted the claim that DISCOS were the weakest link but instead, described TCN as weaker. For how long will the trade of words between TCN and DISCOS be allowed to continue without jeopardizing government’s efforts to ensure Nigerians enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply? How far is it true as alleged that Mohammed is stumbling block to survival of power sector?

It is rather unfortunate that it is after successive administrations had claimed to have spent billions of dollars on the decaying power sector without tangible results that TCN and DISCOS which are critical stakeholders handling the power sector project are now shamelessly entangled in unnecessary quarrels. If there is no conducive environment for them to discharge their statutory duties, how can there be improved electricity supply, especially judging by the fact that for national economy to enjoy sustainable growth, power which is engine that drives economies, must be readily available to guarantee all-round development. Many Nigerians must have been visibly amazed when they learnt from media reports recently of threats by those described as core investors in electricity distribution arm of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to quit Nigeria’s power industry in 24 hours if Federal Government could refund the money they spent to buy the assets of defunct PHCN in 2013.

The investors were reported to have requested Mr. Fashola to meet urgently with them so as to identify main challenges affecting investment in the distribution section. The investors regretted that after investing $1.4 billion or N427 billion on assets of deceased PHCN six years ago, they are yet to realise returns on their investments. On behalf of the investors, Chairman, Board of Directors of Jos Distribution Company, Alhaji Tukur Modibbo, threatened thus: “We in Jos DISCO are ready to quit the power sector if our money is refunded by federal government. We are ready to take $72 million in 24 hours to leave. If Fashola can give us $72 million, we are giving him 10 percent discount to quit”. In the same vein, Ayodele of Ibadan DISCO reportedly boasted that: “If the federal government can refund our money in five minutes, we shall quit in 10 minutes”.

This is ridiculous! Many Nigerians will not sympathise with the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration over its predicament in hands of these investors. This is why it is good for government to be responsive to complaints of the people. Many Nigerians had since this administration assumed duty in 2015, warned that privatisation of the power sector by the immediate past administration needed to be reviewed. If government had heeded to public outcries by sacking the investors they would not have the audacity to be issuing orders for refund of their monies. This is a way of blackmailing government. In their own interest, the investors should shelve their planned action which is capable of sabotaging national economy or be ready to face the consequences.

Independent (NG)

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