THE energy crisis in Nigeria has become a critical issue, which has rubbished various economic blueprints of successive administrations. There is a strong correlation between a regular and constant electricity supply and virile economy of any country.
Though the challenges posed by the energy problem in the country did not crop up overnight, it has been a perennial phenomenon. It could be safely described as accumulated deficiencies due to the lackadaisical posture of previous administrations, particularly the military regimes that intermittently punctured democratic rule.
Before the advent of President Goodluck Jonathan's administration, former President Olusegun Obasanjo had taken a bold step in addressing the problem, by kickstarting the contruction of additional power plants, with a view of inreasing power generation and distribution. The project, which was under the National Integrated Power Project [NIPP] was still ongoing by the time former late President Umar Musa Yar'Adua took over the reins of power and now the incumbent president is still mapping out strategy to put a permanent end to darkness, which has been the bane of the people.
In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, the electricity supply was stable in the country, a development which provided a conducive atmosphere for the manufacturing sector and encouraged influx of foreign investments. But currently, reverse is the case and this is having a devastating effect on the condition of living for the people.
The global rating list of electrical energy production and consumption by countries, released by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) fact book website towards the end of the year 2010 puts Nigeria as the least nation in terms of megawatts capacity and with smaller countries like Ghana and Kenya who have lesser populations generating as much as 22,000 megawatts.
Social and economic watchers have tasked the present administration to speed up its transformative approach in the energy sector.
From the graphical analysis as far as African continent is concerned, South Africa, with the population of 44 million topped the chart in energy rating by generating 40, 000 megawatts, coupled with the future projection of producing about 80, 000 megawatts by the year 2025. For its population of 81 million, Egypt generates 14,250 megawatts while plans are underway to raise the stake to 16,700 megawatts before the end of 2011.
The desire of the Federal Government to provide stable and uninterrupted power supply for its citizenry, taking into cognisance its population of about 150 million people, experts say, would require the nation to generate nothing less than 40,000 megawatts. This is far cry from 4,000 megawatts that the country is currently generating. There is no gainsaying the fact that we, as a nation still have a long way to go in meeting the target for our energy consumption.
The result of this energy mess is a big blow on the nation’s economy. The Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents recently decried the relocation of several multinationals to other African countries. The association expressed deep concern over growing decay of economic infrastructure, insecurity, large scale corruption and poor tariff regime.Blue-chip companies that have closed down and relocated to neighbouring African nations are Peterson Zochonis (PZ), Dunlop and Michelin Tyres while industries that have folded up, laid off millions of their staff include Intercontinental Textile Industry, First Spinner Limited, Bhoju Textile Mill, Atlantic Textile Mill, Lagos, United Textile Mill, Kaduna and Arewa Textile Mill, among others.
The list is by no means exhaustive as MAN claimed that in the last three years; more than 79 companies had shut down in the textile subsector alone. It is regrettable to observe that Nigeria is fast becoming a cemetery for big businesses due to the declining power generation, which has continue to affect the socio-economic development of the country.
Energy is the most crucial entity, which allows a society to function. Its availability is prerequisite for the production of goods, services and their consumption. In this regard, its twin cam functions makes it mandatory for the amount of energy needed at anytime and where it would come from to be known in advance. Electricity could be described as the unsung hero among the services that can make our lives a bit easier.
In the alternative to lack of power supply, Nigerians have resorted to the use of generators to power their appliances at home fronts and the production machineries in some companies that are still struggling to survive the stifling economic atmosphere. However, this option did not go without its adverse effects.
According to Mr Babatunde Alo, an Ibadan based fashion designer, “the cost of fuelling and maintaining my generator is really rubbing off on my profit.
Averagely, in a day I spend close to N1, 000 on petrol alone because my sewing and whipping machines must be adequately powered to make my jobs very neat for customers. Now tell me how much is my profit on the services rendered when such an amount goes on power set on daily basis.
“However, assuming the Power Holding Company of Nigeria [PHCN] supply us electricity uninterruptedly, my bill in a month cannot be up to N1, 000 because all the shop owners in this building will contribute to pay the bill”, he remarked, stressing that government should redouble its efforts in ensuring that Nigerians have access to reliable electricity all the time.
Also baring his mind to Nigerian Tribune, Alhaj Kolawole Ajetumobi, a welder said “before I could buy this generator, it took me more than three years to save for it’s. This generator is very expensive due to the fact that it can carry heavy load, regarding the strong welding tools that I use here in the workshop. But it costs me so much to maintain it. Even, before I got it, I was jobless for a very long time when NEPA failed to give us light here. Customers went away with their jobs because I could not guarantee on the day of deliver. Things were very hard then. That situation forced me to get a generating set so that I can be relevant in this vocation and feed my family.”
Reacting to the expenses incurred in running a generator at home as an alternative to PHCN power service, Mr Akeem Kakanfo, a resident of Lodge Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan lamented that “we have no option for now than using generator. Currently, we are in dry season and the weather is very hot, no light most times. Staying indoor after the day’s job can be very suffocating if you don’t use or have a generator. You will just continue to sweat and smell like a troubled pig.”
He stressed the need for the federal government to strive and fast track the NIPP project so that Nigerians can enjoy regular supply of electricity like what was obtainable in the late 70s and 80s.
“I am confident that if the problem of epileptic power supply is permanently solved, it would serve as panacea for all the economic woes plaguing the nation. Everything will just fall in place. The government should not relent until this is done, otherwise life would become more miserable for the masses” Kakanfo said.
Continuing, he stated that “the recent closure of some manufacturing companies in Nigeria and their relocation to Ghana should be seen as a big shame to our previous leaders, who often referred to the nation as the giant of Africa. This development led to the loss of jobs by millions of able bodied men that are breadwinners of their families.”
Apart from environmental pollution, which is borne out of smokes emanating from excessive generator usage, many families have lost their loved ones to poisonous carbon monoxide from generators’ exhausts.
Few people, who managed to endure the hardship, occasioned by unemployment arising from unstable power supply have turned to emergency commercial motorcyclists, thereby compounding the chaotic conditions on the roads. Some of them that are somehow unlucky have become casualties of accidents involving vehicles and motorcycles, with their passengers having a bite of the bitter pills in such avoidable scenarios.
In an interactive session with the Nigerian Tribune, Toyin Agunloye, a commercial motorcyclist, popularly known as “Olu Major” around Oke-Padre, in Ibadan North West local government said” I am a trained engineer in the repair of electrical and electronic gadgets. But, things became very hard for me when electricity supply to our area where I worked was nothing to write home about. In order to make ends meet, since I cannot afford to buy a generator, I have to resort to Okada business to feed my family”.
Continuing, he stated that “government must do something drastic about the electricity problem because as I am taking to you, there are many of my colleagues out there riding Okada to survive but they are skilled or trained artisans, who abandoned their professions due to the erratic power supply from the PHCN”.
Apparently corroborating Agunloye’s views, Saheed Amubieya, also a commercial motorcyclist along Molete-Beere axis, in Ibadan said, “I learnt barbing about 5 years ago and I have my tools, but I don’t have a generator, so after some time, I had to quit and start riding Okada so that I can feed myself because I don’t want to take to crime”.
An energy expert, Engineer Adetunji Ige, maintained that regular power supply is like a tonic needed to reposition the nation’s economy and if the government shows more commitment to the sector, the multiple and positive effects on the general well-being of Nigerians will be obvious.
Said he, “The government at the centre cannot address the problems of insecurity in Nigeria without finding lasting and effective solution to the energy crisis which breeds the closure of industries and astronomical rise in crimes and other vices”.
By so doing, efforts geared toward reinvigorating the economy will eventually pay off and the manufacturing sector, which have been depleted due to epileptic power supply will get a life line and problems of joblessness would also be fixed to a reasonable extent.
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