PRESS RELEASE
21ST OF JANUARY, 2025
BEFORE THE COLLAPSE OF THE POWER SECTOR: N8 BILLION BUDGET FOR ELECTRICITY BILL SENSITIZATION AND MATTERS ARISING
The Power sector in Nigeria is at the brink of collapse as the helmsmen have repeatedly shown gross incompetence. It is a sector where the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) despite the enormous power invested on it by the Electricity act of 2023 has continuously demonstrated incapacity to regulate or outrightly refused to discharge its responsibilities to electricity consumers in Nigeria while the Minister in charge is enamored with seeking about N8billion (Eight Billion Naira) to teach Nigerians how to pay electricity bill. It is therefore not surprising that power grid collapse is now a constant as it has continued to succumb to greed and crass incompetence.
Whereas the Minister seeks N8billion (Eight Billion Naira) to educate us, contractors in the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) who help in delivering capacity are owed over N200 billion (Two Hundred Billion Naira). If not for the intervention of the Unions in the sector in December, 2024, the procurement Committee would have added to this burden by sitting down to award more contracts. We are truly surprised at where the priorities of
the leadership of the sector lay. If the Ministry of Power is manned by competent officials, the now embarrassing constant grid collapse would have been averted instead of the worrying statement by the Minister that this will continue as if this has always been the norm. We believe that this is a clear admission of incapacity and failure by the Ministry and we wonder why they would not do the honourable thing by resigning. It has to be noted that the number of times the national grid has collapsed under these helmsmen is more than all the previous leaders in the
history of our nation combined. Rather than the garrulous remarks, Nigerians expect more seriousness in handling their affairs.
It is unimaginable that NERC colluded with deafening silence with the Board of one of the DISCOs to sack its Managing Director for exposing the unethical practices in the DISCO. Whistle blowing as far as NERC is concerned has become an offense so, instead of an organization that is supposed to reward and protect a whistleblower, it rather connived to punish and sack the official. This is an Organisation that is saddled with ensuring transparency and efficient running of the Electricity sector but chose the contrary. NERC is therefore telling Nigerians that it is not prepared to discharge its mandate and has thus failed woefully which explains the shamble in the sector. It is on this basis that we express our profound disappointment and outrage at the absurd quest for allocation of about N8 billion in the 2025 federal budget for the so-called “sensitization of Nigerians on the need to pay electricity bills,” as disclosed by the Honourable Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, during his recent budget defense in the
National Assembly. This ludicrous proposal epitomizes the depth of profligacy, wastefulness, and corruption
that has permeated governance in Nigeria. At a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with crushing poverty, runaway inflation, and the unbearable weight of a failing economy, it is both insulting and tragic that our leaders find it appropriate to squander public funds on such frivolities. Proposing to allocate a whopping N8 billion to “sensitize” Nigerians who are already burdened with exorbitant electricity tariffs reeks of arrogance, insensitivity and an utter disregard for accountability.
Asking for N8billion (Eight billion Naira) to teach us how to pay bills to DISCOs owned by private entities is entirely questionable and speaks to the deeper worries of Nigerians as to the distinction between those in Government and those who bought the Electricity companies. The Minister should tell Nigerians how much dividend Federal Government has received from the privatized entities since the last 12 years of privatization in lieu of its 40% ownership of the privatized entities. It is laughable to believe that what is important to Nigerians especially as it concerns the power sector now is to be sensitized on why they should pay more for electricity in the midst of constant grid failure and overwhelming darkness. This is annoying and speaks to the depth of crass contempt and disdain with which some individuals occupying the nation’s corridors of power hold the citizens. Adelabu should show more respect for Nigerians rather than pretending to teach us how we should behave in the face of his plans
to foist on us more hardship. We believe that governance should be about making the people better and reducing
hardship foisted on the citizens. The Minister should have therefore been more concerned about how to grant access to constant electricity for majority of Nigerians rather than being worried about how to spend the money the government has claimed not to have to promote this disturbing fancy of his. We call on the National Assembly to rise to its constitutional duty as the custodian of the people’s interests by removing this disgraceful allocation from the budget. Furthermore, we demand a comprehensive audit of the entire power sector budget and others to unearth
other potential avenues for corruption and financial recklessness. The legislature must ensure that the national budget does not become a conduit for looting our collective resources and legalizing the theft of public funds under the guise of governance. If the leadership of the Power sector are compelled to reduce the number of times they
spend at the National Assembly, perhaps, they would have more time to focus on their job and reduce the embarrassing situation in the sector. Sensitization campaigns should not cost a fraction of this amount, especially in a country where schools are underfunded, hospitals lack basic equipment, and infrastructure is crumbling. This allocation is not just wasteful; it is a slap in the face of every hardworking Nigerian struggling to make ends
meet.
Unless the perceived incompetence and wastefulness in the Ministry of Power and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is addressed urgently, the nation’s power sector may collapse completely. We urge the President of the federation to take steps to rein in the burgeoning appetites of those in the Power Ministry and NERC to reinvigorate the sector and save it from total collapse.
Our position on this is clear, we will not stand idly by while public funds are wasted in the name of governance. This is another glaring reminder of why Nigeria remains in its current state of economic stagnation and why incompetence continues to thrive unchecked. We warn that failure to address this issue will further erode public confidence in government institutions and exacerbate the already dire socio-economic conditions facing millions of
Nigerians.
We will continue to monitor developments in this regard and will not hesitate to mobilize
against any attempt to use the budget process as a vehicle for waste.
Sign
Comrade Joe Ajaero
President
