Lack of electricity in Nigeria not FG’s fault ― Fashola

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.”