Lack of investment reason for poor power sector performance —Expert

Stakeholders in the power sector have decried lack of much-needed investment in the power sector and said it is responsible power sector’s poor performance. They urged the Federal Government to disregard claims in some quarters that much more funds have been expended on power generation.

Speaking to journalists at the weekend in Lagos, the chairman of Reinforced Pole Producers Association of Nigeria (RPPAN), Dele Arigbede, stated that “Over the years, no administration has deemed it fit to build a new generating station to replace the old one. During the dark days of Abacha’s government, the then NEPA was directed to keep the account with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). During this period, nothing was injected into NEPA either in form of equipments or human capital development programmes. The sector suffered same fate with the subsequent governments after him.”

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On the future of power sector post privatisation, he said it depends on what the present government can do regarding power generation.

“This depends on what the present administration can do in terms of generating over 60,000 megawatts (MW) projection, expansion of power distribution capacity and transmission network,” he said.

Engr Arigbede, a retired staff of NEPA, described the privatization process of power sector as a scam.

“It is not supposed to be left in the hands of few privilege individuals who do not have the capacity to transform the sector. The exercise was a scam,” he said.

He said RPPAN is in partnership talks with the federal government because over one million poles will be needed in the country for proper connection of electricity and as a major component required in installation process of electricity in the country.