By Dennis Udoma
The Federal Government’s effort to actualize the nation’s vision of additional 3000 megawatt of power generation by 2015 is still a nightmare as power situation in Akwa Ibom frequently deteriorates. This writer, Dennis Udoma in today’s FOCUS unravels why darkness prevails in the state:
For a country like Nigeria with its total population figure of about 170 million people with huge economic potentialities, the provision of quality and steady power supply is still a nightmare.
This situation has become a critical and fundamental frequently ask question by Nigerians has always been as to when they will ever experience uninterrupted power supply even as governments usually boast of improving the situation even in the state with a Hi-tech power infrastructure like the Independent Power Plant [IPP] at Ikot Abasi Local Government Area.
Though, there has been concerted efforts by the Federal Government to fix power with an estimated 3000 MW improvement for the country before 2015, the hope of actualizing our dream of becoming one of the leading economies in 20 20 20 may not be realize with the present development unless the power sector is strengthened to increase investor’s confidence and that of Nigerians.
Over decades, Nigerians have groaned in darkness due to the rot in the power sector as succeeding administrations in the country pursue inglorious and personal agenda with little attention to issues of national growth.
It is this worrisome outlook of the nation’s power situation that drew the anger of the Senate President, Senator David Mark during the inauguration of Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy in Abuja recently, as he was quoted to have described as shameful and irritating, the low level of power generation so far noting that, “The 3000 megawatt being targeted by the Federal Government is nauseating for a country like Nigeria”.
Mark was speaking as a true and honest public office holder when he further maintained that, “It is a serious problem because the whole thing, we have been talking about vision 20 20 20, all the development and dreaming will just remain the same unless the power situation changes. There is no magic about it.
“From the look of things forgive me; I don’t see any improvement and that is the truth. There are a lot of things and nothing has changed so far for the end user. I don’t have solution and I don’t know who has but I believe with all these heads put together, we can achieve something tangible in the power sector.
“Few years ago Brazil and Indonesia were on the same level before, but now they have left us behind. We are talking of producing 3000 megawatt. We should not even be mentioning it, 3000 megawatt is meant for small nations not a nation like Nigeria. I think something has to be done”.
Therefore, Akwa Ibom State is not different from this scenario being painted by the Senate President as residents of Uyo, Eket, Ikot Ekpene and its environs eclipse in the present state of development in the country as most businesses have either closed shops, grappling to operate or relocate resulting from inadequate power supply.
While some have it in short supply, others do not and the situation keeps on deteriorating day in and day out since business survival hinges on power.
The people are now, calling on the government to make power available believing that, there is the tendency of business growth as well as life becoming more meaningful.
Mr. Chidi N. Kanu is a self employed graduate who runs a unisex beauty saloon in the high brow area of Uyo metropolis.
He told this writer that he could not make any meaningful profit, ever since he established the business two years ago due to inadequate power.
Kanu maintained that instead of making profits, he pays more in buying fuel to sustain the business and move ahead to settle salary bills of his workers.
“If there has been a steady supply of electricity, I would have employed more workers, then make more profits but now as, the money I supposed to serve as a skilled worker is used in buying fuel for the generating set.
He noted that, at the end of the month, he would have settled his bills with Power Holdings Company of Nigeria [PHCN], and keeps the profits which would then give him the confidence to employ more workers.
“So, for our businesses to develop fully and grow, I call on the PHCN to come to our help, by giving us a steady power even if it would mean giving us half a month [15 days] since it is becoming difficult to give out 100 per cent that would be more profitable.
Others who also spoke on the issue during the survey expressed bitterness querying, why should the government not provide a sustainable power system to drive the state’s economy.
Mr. Eno Umoren is a cool room operator at Ikot Ekpene, who corroborated Kanu’s lamentations adding that, most times he runs his outfit at a great loss as he makes refund to customers as liability for spoils goods.
The worst hit presently with power problem is the Nigeria’s foremost Aluminum Smelter Company [ALSCON] located at Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of the state as management expresses worry over its inability to meet its full production capacity since it started production in 2008 owing to power frustration.
It generates only 5 megawatt power from its plant and released same to PHCN for distribution to Ikot Aabsi urban and the environs which has sustained the living conditions of the people in the community as well as improved services provided by local hospitals, banks and small businesses thereby reducing operating costs.
It however maintained that, production process in a plant like ALSCON therefore requires massive constant power or it could face serious catastrophe such as; solidification of molten metal which sometimes results in financial loss, loss of raw materials, man-hours, and repairs to mention a few.
This compels the current collaboration with the Office of the Vice-President, Ministry of Power, Bureau of Public Enterprises [BPE], Ministry of Petroleum in finding a lasting solution to the frequent power inadequacy.
Akwa Ibom State government too, is partnering The Septa Energy in the construction of gas pipelines from Esit Eket to Ikot Abasi to deliver gas to Ibom Power Plant and ALSCON in order to address the gas challenges in providing power to the state and is expected to be completed next year.
The state government, it is alleged has attained 85 per cent electricity coverage of the state through the Inter-ministerial Direct Labour Projects while records show, The Ministry of Rural Development has also electrified about 2,209 villages out of 2, 671 communities in the state to meet government target and vision of providing uninterrupted power supply in Akwa Ibom.
The remaining 462 communities are now contending that, the same gesture accorded other villages in the state should be extended to them should the state government plans to meet its 100 per cent target on uniterrupted power supply before end of the current administration in the state.
One of such agitations, is the current appeal by the Paramount Ruler and Head, Akwa Ibom Community in Rivers State, HRH [Obong] Patrick Johnson Udoh whose village, Ekpuk in Ikpa-Ikon Clan, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom has not benefited from any government development project.
Between September 2007 and October 2011, he has written both the Niger-Delta Development Commission [NDDC] and Akwa Ibom government appealing for a donation of transformers for the electrification of Ekpuk Community and all entreaties fall on deaf ears.
The Royal father in a series of letters to the state government on why his community should be provided with electricity explained that, the donation of two transformers will step-down as well as complement the high tensions across his village, Ekpuk and its environs [Ikot Abasi Akpan, Ikot Essen, Ekpuk and Ikot Ekpaw] from Ekparakwa in Oruk Anam local government through Etinan which is approximately, two miles.
“This is an area where no amenities can be found in the old Ikot Abasi local government area before being carved out as Mkpat Enin local Government.
“There is no single Bore-Hole not to talk of adjoining road networks except the NDDC road from Ekparakwa to Etinan which at present, a substantial area has gone bad.
“It would be appreciated and interesting if an inspection will be undertaken to authenticate our claims…”, The Abai of Akwa Ibom appealed.
Further investigation has also revealed, there is more to the perennial power outage in the state apart from non availability of gas to power the generating plant [IPP] at Ikot Abasi.
Such factors include; capacity limitations at various levels arising from over-loaded transformers, poor facilities at the three injection stations servicing Uyo Business District and lack of spare parts for the evacuation of available power to the consumers.
The same scenario may also be the reason why the electricity consumers in Eket and Ikot Ekpene Business Districts of PHCN resort to generate own power to service their businesses.
Presently, most of the transformers are obsolete and can hardly sustain the level of power from the generating plant at Ikot Abasi which sometimes led to the load-shading frequently experienced by end users in the state.
While the generality of residents of the state blame PHCN for the woes, the impression about the state of power supply in some quarters is that, things are getting better as PHCN said, there is improvement in power generation in the state already.
The District Manager of Power Holdings Company of Nigeria [PHCN] in Uyo, Engr. Chukwueme E. Otiji while interacting with this writer gave the impression that, “Because of the work done by the Federal Government through the Nigeria Integrated Power Project [NIPP] powered by the Niger-Delta Power Holdings Company of Nigeria [ND-PHCN], there is improvement in power generation into the system nation-wide though, he regretted that there were some problems some couple of weeks ago, as a result of the repair work done on the gas pipe lines feeding power generating stations across the country.
He said, the maintenance work had affected power evacuation since many of the generating stations were affected.
He gave reasons why people experience power inadequacy in the state especially, Uyo Business District saying that, both Uyo and Ikot Ekpene are seriously affected by capacity limitations which compels PHCN to embark on load-shading.
According to him, “We have some challenges here even in my Business District and Ikot Ekpene. The challenge is that of capacity limitations at various levels; at transmitting stations and the transformers are getting over-loaded which impedes the amount of power that could be evacuated from the transmitting station to the down-stream.
“Also, the three public injection sub-stations in Uyo are suffering from capacity limitations too.
“Among the ones along Oron road [two transformers] in Uyo here, one is on while the other one is having some problems.
“At the State Secretariat [Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat] within the state capital the Encomia Panel also has a problem and now, we are feeding it because the type of panels there are alien to us.
Engr. Otiji however confirmed that, there was load shading because of no spare parts which they resorted to using one out-going cable to feed to back-feed power into the system.
“That out-going cable has its own capacity which is about half of the one coming in and because we have done that, the capacity of the entire station is reduced by half. And no matter the fact that there could be supply at all times, it can only take one feeder at a time”, he said.
He maintained that, PHCN was working assiduously to improve on the power supply very soon as proposal had been presented to the appropriate quarters for approval.
Therefore, with these background the issue of uninterrupted power generation in the country needs a holistic approach if government at all levels could muster courage to over haul the power system.
A visitor to Uyo, the state capital in the night may sometimes mistake the light on the high ways or major streets to availability of power.
Without sounding immodest, the fact remains that, this remedial measure undertaken by the state government is a window dressing as the presence of those lights are powered by the generating sets strategically put around town to boosts power supply on gate-ways into the city while residents suffocate under intense noise pollution and heat emanating from private generating sets.
It is this elusive government assurances of providing uninterrupted power in the state which now turned a practical joke, that compelled the Nigeria Labour Congress [NLC] to insist that, strike by the Nigerian workers is inevitable should the Federal Government implement the removal of oil subsidy in the guise of investing the monies on roads, power sector and other infrastructure.
Akwa Ibom Chapter Chairman of NLC, Comrade Unyime Usoro did not mince words when he tasked both state and Federal Governments to ensure there is adequate power supply in the country should the Federal Government removal of oil the subsidy becomes a reality by January next year.
He lamented that, over the years Nigerians go through pains and hardship in generating their power for domestic use and wondered what government was doing to cushion such effect.
“If there was adequate power supply, investors will not run away, industries will thrive and small scale industries will expand and produce at full capacity” adding that, power was an important infrastructure needed for economic development by every nation.
“Those who are feeding fat through generator importation and servicing, were sabotaging efforts in a bid to ensure constant power supply”, Comrade Usoro warned.
To this end, the power situation in Akwa Ibom may not be different from what is obtained in other states of the federation even with the present effort to step up power supply by the state government to boost the socio-economic activities.
While many believe that, the Federal Government holds the ace in the business of power development and that, it must complement the efforts of the states by holistically and convincingly prosecuting the power sector reform project, Nigerians await such moments in the life of the nation when power problem would become a thing of the past rather than making promises that would never be fulfilled END.
Dennis Udoma is Akwa Ibom based media practitioner.
Email-denudo@yahoo.com, Tell-08022863779.
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