The Senate yesterday resolved to probe the huge spending on power supply in the country under former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan with significant or fruitful results, saying it would investigate the management of funds appropriated for the power sector since 1999.
The Upper House also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) to immediately reconnect Maiduguri back to the national grid. The lawmakers also in strong terms condemned the inability of PHCN to provide continuous and uninterrupted power supply to all parts of the country. They also urged the Joint Task Force to clear the insurgents in the area which have power plants in Maiduguri. The Senate also constituted an ad hoc committee on Power to be chaired by Senator Abubakar Kyari to probe the money spent on the power sector since 1999 till date. This was fallout on the motion sponsored by senate leader, Ali Ndume tilted disconnection of Maiduguri from the National grid and the general power generation in Nigeria. Leading the debate, he noted the disconnection of Maiduguri from the national grid and the general power degeneration across the country and the hardship and sufferings of the people occasioned by lack of electricity supply. He lamented that the federal government has since spent several billions of dollars from 1999 to date on power generation with nothing to show for it. Ndume expressed concern that in spite of this huge sum of money, a country with a population of over 150 million people produces only 4,600 mega watts while South Africa with a population of 40 million produces 40 thousand mega watts with additional 11, 000 mega watts to come on stream. He stressed the need for the nation to have alternative sources of power as there are limitations in over dependence on thermal power with incessant vandalism of gas pipelines and the abundant coal deposits in Enugu, Kogi and Benue states which can be explored and sustain the revival of Oji river power station and construction of new power station. He said “there is a need to ensure that the existing power stations at Egbim, Afam, Kainji are maintained and functioning to their full capabilities and to ensure that this steady decline into total darkness is reversed. In his remarks, senate president Bukola Saraki stated that lack of power supply has held the country back and after corruption, lack of power supply is the next challenged of the country, adding that Nigerians are expecting the 8th Senate to resolve the issue of power supply once and for all.
The Upper House also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) to immediately reconnect Maiduguri back to the national grid. The lawmakers also in strong terms condemned the inability of PHCN to provide continuous and uninterrupted power supply to all parts of the country. They also urged the Joint Task Force to clear the insurgents in the area which have power plants in Maiduguri. The Senate also constituted an ad hoc committee on Power to be chaired by Senator Abubakar Kyari to probe the money spent on the power sector since 1999 till date. This was fallout on the motion sponsored by senate leader, Ali Ndume tilted disconnection of Maiduguri from the National grid and the general power generation in Nigeria. Leading the debate, he noted the disconnection of Maiduguri from the national grid and the general power degeneration across the country and the hardship and sufferings of the people occasioned by lack of electricity supply. He lamented that the federal government has since spent several billions of dollars from 1999 to date on power generation with nothing to show for it. Ndume expressed concern that in spite of this huge sum of money, a country with a population of over 150 million people produces only 4,600 mega watts while South Africa with a population of 40 million produces 40 thousand mega watts with additional 11, 000 mega watts to come on stream. He stressed the need for the nation to have alternative sources of power as there are limitations in over dependence on thermal power with incessant vandalism of gas pipelines and the abundant coal deposits in Enugu, Kogi and Benue states which can be explored and sustain the revival of Oji river power station and construction of new power station. He said “there is a need to ensure that the existing power stations at Egbim, Afam, Kainji are maintained and functioning to their full capabilities and to ensure that this steady decline into total darkness is reversed. In his remarks, senate president Bukola Saraki stated that lack of power supply has held the country back and after corruption, lack of power supply is the next challenged of the country, adding that Nigerians are expecting the 8th Senate to resolve the issue of power supply once and for all.
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