THE Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has stated that lack of electricity in the country is not the fault of the Federal Government (FG).
He said although the power sector is faced with numerous challenges, this could not be blamed on the FG especially when the sector has been privatised.
Fashola spoke in Abuja, at the Nextier Power Dialogue on Wednesday night in Abuja.
According to him, rather than blaming the FG, electricity consumers should hold the electricity distribution and generation companies accountable as these aspects of power supply are being owned by them.
He said: “There are problems without a doubt and we must deal with them. But let me remind you, all of the assets that the Ministry of Power used to control for power have been sold by the last administration before I came. And so if you don’t have power, it is not the government’s problem. Let us be honest.
“The people who are operating the power sector, generation and distribution are now privately-owned companies. I am here because I am concerned. If your telephone is not working, it is not the minister of communication that you go to. Let us be very clear.”
The minister added, “So for those of you who want to weaponize electricity, face the businessmen who have taken it up. Let us be honest. If your bank over-charges you, is it the minister of finance you go to? So let’s be clear. This is now a private business by Act of parliament 2005.
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He stressed that his role as a minister is regulatory, oversight and policy.
“I have a problem which is the fact that I can’t see a problem and turn my back, so I’m getting involved. So the people you should be talking to about transformers is not me, the ministry doesn’t supply transformers anymore.”
Fashola further defended his position after another participant at the dialogue insisted that the minister supervises the ministry and that the Gencos and Discos were players under the FMPWH.
He said: “I think that NERC (Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission) is the referee of the game. I am FIFA (Federation of International Football Association). And it is not right as you said that FIFA gets involved, because whether the referee makes a mistake or not the goal stands.
“So the FIFA man does not enter the field to say go and change the result, but it’s an interesting analogy that I’ve also contemplated in my head and that’s why you didn’t catch me by too much surprise. However, it is important to allow the referee to continue to decide the game because investors like to know who decides.”
He is very correct. It’s my fault
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chai there’s God
Who’s fault?
Effect of when a lawyer occupied the position of an active Engineer.
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No go find work do… Hungry go beat you so tey you begin dey negotiate with hunger!
Is my fault. God day
now that our minister of power is telling us that the government can not be blame as they fail to provide light to over 100million Nigerians is it not good to vote them out next year and vote in the that we can blame if they fail. WE THE PEOPLE MUST VOTE OUT APC come next year election
Square peg in a round hole , am ashamed of this man , u are better of in the legal ministry
Seriously it’s my family fault sir
When you have illiterate SAN in your cabinet.
Blame it on the past government, itz a natural phenomenon.
Whose fault Mr Man?maybe it is my fault confused set of people
Yes, it is not FG’s fault. It’s all my fault.
A mad dog,quote me.
Hausa old goat it’s my fault, fool. How I wish that God will just blow this mess that is called country up one day and bring their existence to a sudden end.
After six months.
?THE 419 QUOTES THAT TRICKED NIGERIANS IN 2015:
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*”A serious government will fix power problem in six months.” – Babatunde Raji Fashola (November 12, 2014)*
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*”Stone us [APC] if we do not perform after two years.” – Tony Momoh ( April 3, 2016, The Guardian)*
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*”The only way to have stable electricity is to vote out PDP.” – Babatunde Raji Fashola (July 12, 2014, The Nation)*
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*”We seriously frown at President Goodluck Jonathan, over the unceremonious removal of the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr Andrew Yakubu.” -(APC, August 4, 2014, Channels TV)*
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*”It’s Time To Restructure Nigeria: The present situation of things where all component units get monthly allocation from the Federal Government only makes the states lazy and unproductive.” – Nasiru El-Rufai (August 2010)*
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*”Jonathan should resign if he has no solution to the violence being unleashed on some parts of the country.” – Nasiru El-Rufai (August 2012)*
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*”The only solution to the present political uncertainty in the country is for the National Assembly to set machineries in motion for the impeachment of ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.” – Muhammadu Buhari (March 10, 2010, Sun Newspapers)*
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*”Waste: Let me give an instance, presently, there are more than 6 aircraft in the presidential fleet. What do you call that? “Billions of naira is budgeted every year for the maintenance of these aircraft not to talk of operational cost and other expenses.” – Muhammadu Buhari (February 2015, Nigerians in UK)*
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*”We intend for instance, to bring back our National carrier, the Nigerian Airways. We shall do this by bringing all the aircraft in the presidential fleet into the Nigerian airway and within a year increase the fleet into about 20.” -Muhammadu Buhari (February 2015, Nigerians in UK)*
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*”Why do I need to embark on a foreign trip as a president with a huge crowd with public funds?*
*”Why do I need to go for foreign medical trip if we cannot make our hospital functional?” – Muhammadu Buhari (February 2015, Nigerians in UK)*
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*”Why is the nation’s currency, the Naira, now trading for N180 per Dollar, while the South African Rand is trading at R11 to one United States Dollar?” – Babatunde Raji Fashola (Dec 26, 2014, The Nation)*
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*”Give Nigerians a daily update on the health of President Umaru Yar’Adua to stem the growing rumours surrounding his state of health.” – Lai Mohammed (December 21, 2009, The Nation)*
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*”Amaechi is not only clean but a tool to free Nigeria from the corruption imposed on us by those who hate our nation.” – APC (October 24, 2016, Vanguard)*
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*”The recent proscription of Boko Haram and Ansaru violates the Constitution.” – Lai Mohammed (June 10, 2013, The Nation*
Be careful of what you say today because of tomorrow…….
Let’s not be fooled again, It’s time to *TAKE IT BACK*
✍
Fashola is as confused and stupid lik d Nigeria ??. Foolish people
DON’T VOTE FOR DARKNESS!!!
In 2011, Jonathan sold our electricity distribution licenses to incompetent companies that have no experience on electricity. When the then Minister of power; Prof. Barth Nnaji advised that it was not a good decision, he was sacked immediately and replaced with Prof Nebo. You remember?
This contract of sale of the electricity distribution licenses were made irrevocable but renewable. To this end power became privatised since 2011.
When this government came on board, it discovered that the DISCOS were not ready to render services but to reap and recoup their investment capital immediately. The government could not repudiate the contracts because of the irrevocability clause and the doctrine of sanctity of contract. The hands of government became tied.
Then the blame is on government because the masses are unaware that power like telecommunications has been privatised by the PDP. They sold the licenses to their girlfriends and cronies that were hitherto into fast food business. The DISCOS started disconnecting communities from the the supplies in the name of estimated bulk billing system.
This government stepped in and went out of its way by providing incentives such as duty waivers and credit facilities to the GENCOs. This was done to boost power generation which was less than 3000 megawatts at the time Buhari took over. Today, power generation is over 7000 megawatts! And you think this is not change?
A vote for Buhari will ensure the non renewal of the electricity distribution licenses of these PDP cronies that have kept us in darkness. There is electricity but the distribution is the problem. The DISCOs are not ready to provide pre-paid metres, transformers amongst others to consumers. The estimated billing system and bulk billing system are frauds.
Next year, the licenses of these capitalist rapists will become due for renewal and they are already shivering that this government will not renew that stupid contract that kept us in darkness. A vote for Buhari will terminate that contract of darkness while a vote for Atiku will translate to selling more of our national assets.
Think about this and take a stand now.
I realized that average comments here shows that majority didn’t bother to read the interview. That is sign of laziness. You ought to have read it fully b4 passing useless judgement. Nigerians, nawaooo
am nt surprise at all. he failed in min. of works, nw power & later wil b housing. no wonda police is confused if sex in car is a crime or nt bcz dey always uses #ibetapaxmanebor.
Na ur fault sir.
Lagos landlord if a government cannot fix power in 6months the government is incompetent, Fashola u and apc idiots r so incompetent because it’s your father’s fault that there is no power in Nigeria
It is the fault of ur village people,abi?Why not tell us it is ur ineptitude n lack of direction than to run ur mouth anyhow?What about the electricity u said a serious government can fix within 6 months?U have now swallowed back ur words like a dog,abi?Words fail me to tell u how I now feel about ur woeful performance since u were appointed a minister. I now know the difference btwn being a governor n being a minister.
God will punish u,useless and lifeless man
Who’s fault oga
Prince of darkness has spoken. Gbagam
Animal talk…
Are u done or still have some more, because I’m still Atikulated.
If we are in a sane Country
Kunle D Blow I’m yet to see anyone who try to defend this clueless govt and dont actually sound stupid. So if there is an irrevocable agreement signed by the PDP FG so there is no penalty for failing to render the service as agreed in the signed document? To educate you better, the privatization does not include power generation, the govt are still to be held in generating power while the DOSCOS handles distribution.
My fault ni