Probes collapse of national grid, DisCos

THE Senate has begun a probe into the activities of Generation Companies, GenCos, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, and Distribution Companies, DisCos, for failing to deliver reliable electricity, describing the power sector as a total failure.

It also strongly criticised the power sector operators, saying they have added no significant value to the sector, and threatened to come up with legislative measures, including new laws and total repeal of the policy.

It equally noted that the privatization introduced in 2013 has plunged Nigeria deeper into darkness, leaving citizens without solutions.

The Upper directed the Senate Committee on Power, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, APGA, Abia South, to conduct a holistic investigation into the challenges of the sector and come up with recommendations that should cover possible reversal of the privatisation and declaration of an emergency in the power sector and report at plenary in six weeks.

The condemnation of the power sector yesterday was sequel to the presentation of a report by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, that investigated frequent national grid collapses and related issues.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said in annoyance: “They have added no value at all.’’

Akpabio and other senators lampooned the power sector, especially the DisCos as they expressed anger, saying the operators had forced Nigeria more into darkness since 2013 when the policy took off, leaving the citizenry “helpless.”

Akpabio said: “Why do state governors and communities buy transformers, hand them over DisCos and still pay for installation?

“The people who took over (power sector) are just making money from those transformers and they are not adding value at all.

“Why do we hand over GenCos and the TCN can’t move what they generate? Why are DisCos not investing in transformers, or we have to pay the DisCos for transformers bought by Nigerians?
“We can make the laws, we can reverse the laws and ask the Federal Government to take back those things from them.”

Presenting the report, Senator Abaribe, who attributed the persistent grid failures to factors such as aging infrastructure, abandoned projects worth trillions of naira, regulatory inefficiencies, security lapses, lack of modern monitoring systems, such as SCADA, and inadequate financial oversight, said despite substantial investments in electricity infrastructure, the grid had suffered 105 collapses over the past decade.

He revealed the significant costs incurred during grid failures, particularly in restarting power plants.
The committee reported that each time the grid collapsed, it would cost the nation around $25million or N42billion to restart its three generating plants.

The committee recommended decisive actions by government, including making saboteurs both within and outside the system pay heavily for their culpability.

According to the report, restarting a plant after a grid collapse (known as a “black start”) is considerably more expensive than normal operations.

‘’For instance, while running costs for a plant like Azura, Delta, or Shiroro are approximately $105,000, restarting costs can reach $7 million per incident. Collectively, grid collapses cost Nigeria an estimated ¦ 42.5 billion for these three plants alone, with broader implications for the entire power sector,’’ the report said.

The report emphasised that the national grid, over 50 years old, was outdated and in urgent need of modernization to meet current operational standards.

Abaribe also noted other pressing issues, including operational inefficiencies, abandoned projects, regulatory gaps, security challenges, and the absence of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, SCADA, systems essential for real-time monitoring and management.

“Whenever a plant is shut down, they restart the plant and to restart it which they call a black start, it cost far more that running the plant.

“While it cost $105,000 to run the plant, to restart it will cost $7m. So for anytime we have a shut down occasioned by grid collapse, three plants in Nigeria, three plants in Nigeria that supply most of our electricity, Azura, Delta and Shiroro, to restart the plant cost Nigeria $25m or ¦ 42.5bn and if we expand it yo the rest of the operating plants in Nigeria, it is actually not quantifiable.

“Aging infrastructure has been identified as a critical factor contributing to frequent grid failures. Many components of the grid are outdated and have not undergone necessary maintenance or upgrades, leading to increased vulnerability to failures,’’ Abaribe said.

In his contribution, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North, who criticised the privatisation policy as flawed and exploitative, said it imposed undue financial burdens on Nigerians

He said: “The DisCos are out for profit, while they make our people suffer. I never imagined that a private person will collect money for services he did not render and Nigerians are helpless.”

He recounted a personal experience of having to purchase a transformer and pay for its installation, only for it to become the property of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC.

Oshiomhole called for a comprehensive review of the privatisation policy, in line with the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

“After the procurement, it becomes the property of AEDC (Abuja Electricity Distribution Company).
I even had to pay money from my pocket to connect the transformer to the grid.

“We have to revisit this ill-advised privatisation and we are going to advise Mr President, in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, to review the power sector privatisation.”

On his part, Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central, who noted that the ongoing failures in the power sector persisted due to a lack of accountability, however, argued that without sanctions for lapses, the sector’s inefficiencies would remain unaddressed.

Ningi said: “Over the years, nobody has been punished for the lapses in the power sector. Reports alone without sanctions will not allow Nigeria make any headway. The implication is that the problems will continue.”

Following series of debates, the Senate stood down the consideration of the report and gave Abaribe’s committee additional six weeks to do a holistic investigation into the issues in the power sector and report back in six weeks for further legislative actions.

Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, has backed President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills, saying the proposed laws are a wake-up call to northern Nigerian leaders to develop their region.

Gumi said the tax reform bills would create more opportunities in the economy than the existing tax system, which promotes multiple taxation.

The cleric stated this on two different occasions on Tuesday and Wednesday in Kaduna. The videos of the conversation were posted on his Facebook page.

The bills are the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 -SB.583; the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024- SB.584; and the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024- SB. 585; and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 – SB.586.

Some experts said most critics of the bills had not read their provisions and were only amplifying falsehoods circulated by uninformed interest groups.

Gumi lamented that the debate on the bills is political. He said northern leaders should instead debate their region’s backwardness and why they allow industries and banks to go bankrupt.

However, he identified grey areas in the bills. He said the VAT sharing formula that ignited the debate should be given a second look.

“I heard people debating that Lagos will benefit more from the new sharing formula in the proposed tax reform bills; this should not be the issue to debate on; our leaders should not say so. You said the corporate headquarters were relocated to Lagos, where are your banks’ headquarters in Kaduna or Kano?

“You people were sleeping; you deliberately allowed the population to wallow in poverty. You are shouting over the tax reform bills; where are our industries? Who among you invested in the industries in Kakuri to sustain them? Only the breweries are still functional in the area. We are always applying politics on issues where there is no need for it.

“Nigeria needs the new tax system to move away from the obsolete system that promotes multiple taxation. You cannot throw away the tax reform bills, adopt them, and address their grey areas.

“If we want development, let’s build industries, cultivate more land, and have banks,” Gumi said to the northern leaders.

“Nigeria is blessed with wealth across all regions, so our leaders are treated with dignity globally. France is treating Nigeria with caution; the way they warmly received President Bola Tinubu means a lot.”

Gumi said the debate on the tax reform bills should be conducted by people who are knowledgeable in the field.

“The tax reform bills exempting low-income earners from paying taxes is a welcome development. This should apply to all low-cadre workers, including security agents; doing so will greatly help Nigerians.

“The attempt of the president to reform the collection system is commendable, continuing in the old system will not be good for the country because of the multiple taxation,” the cleric said.

PT

The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has lamented the carting away of an unspecified quantity of rice by some yet-to-be-identified criminals after invading the state Government’s farm in the Jangwa community of Awe Local Government Area of the state.

Sule disclosed this when he received a delegation of sons and daughters of Azara community led by His Royal Highness, Sarkin Azara, Dr. Kabiru Musa Ibrahim at the Government House, Lafia on Thursday.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, quoted the governor as saying, “Whereas the state government is pleased with the yield recorded, it is however saddened by the level of theft recorded during the harvest.”

Sule, therefore, decried the activities of the unscrupulous elements who were stealing harvested rice from the government-owned farm in Jangwa, Awe LGA.

He described the situation as very unfortunate, noting that such magnitude of theft was happening at a time when the state was doing everything possible to bring relief to the people and boost food security in the state and beyond.

Sule used the opportunity to warn all those involved in the unwholesome practice to desist henceforth as the state government would not hesitate to deal decisively with anyone caught.

He, however, assured the state that, “We will not be deterred. We are determined that Nasarawa State, being an agricultural state, that the government must be at the forefront in agricultural activities.”

The governor further thanked the traditional rulers and people of the area for their cooperation towards the successes recorded on the farm since the government’s agricultural programme began in the area.

Senators from the South-South geopolitical zone have endorsed the contentious Tax Reform Bills pending before the National Assembly.

In a statement signed on behalf of the group by Senator Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West), the lawmakers have highlighted the importance of the bills in enhancing national revenue.

The statement said, “Recognising the importance of tax reforms in enhancing national revenue and fostering economic stability, we resolved to support the Tax Reforms Bills.

“This support will be anchored on a comprehensive study and thorough evaluation of the content of the Bills to ensure they align with the overall interest of Nigerians, particularly the well-being of the South-South region.

“The Caucus calls for restraint on the part of those bent on introducing sentiments, whether regional, ethnic or tribal to a national dialogue and looks forward to robust interactions and consultations as already commenced by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We remain committed to working collaboratively with our colleagues across the Senate and all stakeholders in fostering a legislative agenda that guarantees the peace, prosperity, and progress of our beloved nation.”

According to them, their support for the bills stems from a shared commitment to boosting national revenue and driving economic growth.

The senators, who cut across party lines, also expressed their unflinching support and confidence in the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.

“After a meeting held on the 4th of December, 2024, we, the senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the South-South geopolitical zone, met on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, to deliberate on key national issues and the role of the Senate in advancing the collective interest of the country. After extensive discussions, the following resolutions were made:

“The South-South senators unanimously agreed and passed a vote of confidence in the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to standing by him and supporting his leadership in steering the Senate toward its constitutional mandate of making laws that serve the best interests of the nation and its citizens.

“We pledge our full support to the Senate President and the leadership of the National Assembly in their efforts to ensure the effective and timely passage of legislation aimed at promoting good governance, national unity, and economic development.

The communiqué was signed by Senator Seriake Dickson (Chairman), Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe (Secretary), Senator Barinada Mpigi, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Senator Neda Imasuen, Senator Munir Ned Nwoko, Senator Thomas Joel-Onowakpo, Senator Aniekan Bassey, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, and Senator Allwell Onyeso.

Others include Senator Ipalibo Banigo, Senator Benson Agadaga, Senator Konbowei Benson, Senator Eteng Jonah Williams, Senator Ekong Sampson, and Senator Ede Dafinone.

Dele Farotimi’s book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,’ has become a bestseller on Amazon Books as the human rights advocate faces legal action over the publication.

The book is ranked 555 out of all books on the e-commerce website and is number one in elections.

The book also topped Amazon’s charts in general elections, political process, and political commentary and opinion.

Customer reviews rated the book 4.9 out of five stars.

Published on July 2, Farotimi examined how affluent Nigerians allegedly manipulated the country’s judicial system for their interests.

However, his description of the country’s legal landscape has become a subject matter in a law court.

On Wednesday, Farotimi was arraigned in a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti state, for allegedly “criminally defaming” Afe Babalola, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), named in the book.

The activist pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Samson Osun, the police prosecutor, asked the court to remand Farotimi pending further investigation.

Dayo Akeredolu, counsel to Farotimi, opposed the remand request and prayed the court to admit the activist on bail under liberal terms and self-recognition.

Akeredolu’s bail application was rejected.

Abayomi Adeosun, the magistrate, ruled that Farotimi be remanded in prison custody till December 10.

Hours after the legal proceedings, Roving Heights, a bookstore, announced that its website crashed.

The bookstore said the technical glitch was caused by “unusual traffic and a spike in demand for some titles”.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has stressed the need for the people to end corruption in Nigeria before the practice does more harm to the country.

The anti-graft agency asserted that corruption has severely undermined Nigeria’s economic and social fabric, urging citizens to demonstrate the bravery necessary to expose corrupt practices.

Naija News reports that Ekere Usiere, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner for the Commission, emphasized this during an event in Yenagoa commemorating Anti-Corruption Day.

The Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board organized the event.

In her presentation titled From Fear To Courage: Overcoming Barriers To Whistleblowing In Nigeria, Usiere warned that without the courage to confront corruption, Nigeria faces the peril of being overwhelmed by it in the foreseeable future.

She stressed that to combat corruption effectively, the nation must adopt a mindset of courage and reject fear.

She said, “There is no gainsaying that the scourge of corruption has brought Nigeria to its knees, from economic underdevelopment to socio-political decadence. If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will definitely kill Nigeria. That is why we need an effective whistleblower mechanism as a critical tool to fight against corruption.

“To effectively blow the whistle against corruption, we, the citizens, need courage. The absence of fear is simply the definition of courage. Citizens need to overcome cultural, psychological and systemic challenges to blow the whistle against corruption and other ills bedevilling our country, Nigeria.

“This programme is therefore a timely and welcome development. The aim of this paper is to charge participants to obliterate fear from their mindset and embrace courage in order to blow the whistle against corruption. If we must fight corruption in Nigeria and reduce it to the barest minimum, then we must put on the armour of courage to surmount the fear of whistleblowing.

“If you see something, you must say something! If you hear something, you must say something.”

Earlier, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, commended the Anti Corruption and Transparency Unit for the excellent job done in putting the event together while reiterating his resolve to staff to protect the institution from all forms of corrupt tendencies through preventive strategies.

His words: “Today, we are marking and celebrating the International Anti-Corruption Day, with a focus on raising the consciousness of our youths to the ills of corruption and how it turns the socio-economic development of any nation.

“This is to send a strong message for extra-vigilance by all of us in combating the menace. In NCDMB, we have taken deliberate steps to curb corruption. We have provided adequate support to our ACTU members by providing a functional office and giving them a free hand to discharge their functions.

“In the area of capacity building and awareness, we have deepened our participation in the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria through capacity building training for staff, including training in corruption prevention techniques, strategies for effective workplace anti-corruption campaign, bribery and corruption risk assessment, etc.; all these underline the board stance against corruption.

“In the area of system check, we have instituted corrupt risk assessment probing major functions of the board including human resources, procurement, monitory, evaluation, planning, research and statistics, all in a bid to mitigate vulnerability to corruption across the board.”

The Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, George Ibezimako Ozodinobi (LP, Anambra), has condemned the decision of some Labour Party (LP) lawmakers to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ozodinobi, who spoke shortly after the Speaker announced the defection of his colleagues during plenary on Thursday, said the defectors would weep.

He added that they don’t have a future in the new party they crossed to.

Recalls four Labour Party (LP) House of Representative members defected to the APC as announced during plenary on Thursday by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas.

The lawmakers who defected to APC are Esosa Iyawe (Edo), Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Matthew (Kaduna), and Bassey Akiba (Cross River).

Also, a lawmaker, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu (Delta), dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC.

The now-former Labour Party lawmakers cited division within their party as the main reason for their defection.

Reacting to the development, Ozodinobi raised a point of order on the floor of the House and, in his comment, expressed disappointment with his colleagues who had just left the LP.

“I will quote the Bible. When Jesus was carrying the cross to the Calvary, the woman, Veronica, was weeping. And he looked back and said, women of Israel, don’t weep for me, weep for yourself.

“I am telling those who have defected that they will continue weeping for themselves because where you have crossed over to, you don’t have a future,” he said.

American-born Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, better known by his stage name Davido, has opined that unlike the United States of America (USA), Nigeria lacks true democracy.

Davido who was a few days ago under fire for not being patriotic in defense of his country said he believed in American democracy.

He stated this while featuring in a recent episode of The Morning Hustle podcast.

According to the singer, he congratulated Donald Trump after his electoral victory despite voting for his opponent, Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party because he believes in American democracy.

Davido said: “I congratulated Donald Trump. That’s the president! What are you talking about? If I were running against him, I would still have congratulated him.

“What I like about America is that there’s true democracy. Where I come from (Nigeria), it’s not so.

“To be honest, I voted for Kamala Harris because I wanted to see the first female president in my generation. That would have been cool.”

The Anambra State Aids Control Agency (ANSACA) says no fewer than 3,138 tested positive out of 257,953 individuals tested for HIV in Anambra between January and October 2024.

Dr Afam Obidike, Commissioner for Health, Anambra, gave the statistics on Thursday in Awka during a media briefing to mark World AIDS Day observed every Dec. 1, since 1988.

World AIDS Day is commemorated globally to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and honor the lives affected by the epidemic.

This year’s commemoration had the global theme: ‘Take the Rights Path, Sustain HIV Response, Stop HIV Among Children to End AIDS in Nigeria by 2030′.

Obidike said the state recorded significant strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS with the extension of comprehensive services to 175 healthcare facilities across the state.

He said: “From January to October 2024 alone, 257,953 individuals were tested for HIV, with 3,138 (1.2 per cent) newly testing positive.

“An impressive 99 per cent of those who tested positive, were successfully linked to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Currently, 49,067 individuals living with HIV have been placed on Anti-retroviral treatment.

“As part of HIV prevention efforts, the state, through its partners’ support, has distributed 1,406,744 condoms and 26,640 lubricants to support safe practices among key populations and the general public.

“These distributions underline the state and its partners’ commitment to mitigating transmission risks and supporting comprehensive prevention strategies,” he said.

The Commissioner said Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme had been pivotal to the progress recorded in reducing pediatric HIV in the state.

Obidike said that spectrum projections indicated an estimated 5,167 pregnant women in Anambra required PMTCT services in 2024.

“Through the efforts of mentor mothers and partners in the communities, 56,199 antenatal attendees tested for HIV, and 560 HIV-positive pregnant women (both known and new cases) were identified and were successfully linked to care.

“The integration of innovative diagnostics like m-PIMA machines for Early Infant Diagnostics has improved our ability to test HIV-exposed infants and ensure they are linked to care promptly.

“This is a significant stride toward ensuring healthier outcomes for mothers and their babies,” he said.

Obidike said the state government initiated the domestication of the HIV anti-discrimination Act to protect the rights of People Living with HIV, eliminate stigma and gender-based violence.

“The state remains focused on achieving health equity and an AIDS-free future for all residents,” Obidike said.

(NAN)

Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor Chief James Ibori and a member of the House of Representatives, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a letter dated Thursday, December 5, and addressed to the PDP Chairman of the Ethiope West Council area, Ibori-Suenu cited exclusion by the Delta state chapter of the party as the reason for her resignation.

The letter, titled “Notice of Resignation of Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu as Member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” stated: “Please be informed that by this notice I formally resign as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect. I surrender my attached Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] Membership Card, with membership number 0777144 in furtherance of my complete dissociation and disengagement from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

Ibori-Suenu explained that her resignation was due to her complete exclusion by the State chapter of the party and the ongoing national leadership crisis, which has divided the party into implacable camps.