|
power
generation and distribution has been
poor. According to Prof. Rilwanu Lukman,
a one time Minister of Mines and Power,
the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA);
which was then charged with the
responsibility of electricity generation
and distribution, was not to take the
whole blame for the erratic power
situation in the country. In his
opinion, some customers have the
practice of not informing NEPA of their
plans to erect new buildings or even
factories. Due to this development, the
power authority facilities are
overstretched; resulting in the
overloading of the transformer serving
that area.
Another excuse, which the authority has
presented, is the issue of debt
recovery. Officials of the then NEPA
lamented that the State and Federal
Governments are the chief debtors of the
corporation. In 1985, investigation
revealed that out of N250million owed to
the corporation nationwide, the Federal
Government alone owed N80million, while
States like Kano and Kaduna owed
N50million.
Besides, the officials of the
corporation are always quick to point
out the fact that the low level of the
River Niger is responsible for power
cuts. To some extent, this excuse may be
acceptable, but since the River Niger
supplies less than 20 percent of the
nation's electricity demand, perhaps
there could be other reasons behind the
erratic power supply in the country,
which authorities of the corporation are
not making public.
It would be recalled that prior to the
Great Dry Spell of 1973, which marked
the decline in the volume of water in
the Niger River which operated the
Kainji Hydroelectric Project in New
Bussa, Kwara State, NEPA was generating
over 4,148 megawatts and even sold as
much as 900 megawatts to neighbouring
countries. In 1985, Prof. Lukman while
declaring that the corporation would
generate as much as 5,248 megawatts of
electricity the following year, stressed
that in no time, NEPA would meet its
target of 10,000 megawatts.
However, with the passage of time, it
seems that the hope of meeting the
10,000 megawatts capacity is a project,
which would never go beyond the drawing
table.
|
 |
|
