Peter Obi Reacts to Power Grid Failures

2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has voiced his concerns over the ongoing power grid failures in Nigeria, describing the situation as a national embarrassment.  In a Twitter post, he criticized the repeated collapses of the national grid, which have left many Nigerians without electricity.  He pointed out that these outages expose the weaknesses in the country’s power infrastructure and highlight failures in leadership and policy implementation. Obi questioned how long Nigerians must endure a system that fails to provide reliable electricity, a crucial element for a productive society.  He emphasized the importance of power supply for the economic transformation of the country, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are vital for job creation and economic growth. He also compared Nigeria’s electricity generation capabilities with those of other African nations.  Despite being the fourth largest economy on the continent, Nigeria generates less than 10,000 megawatts of electricity, a stark contrast to South Africa and Egypt, which each generate over 40,000 megawatts.  Obi argued that this significant disparity in power generation illustrates deep-rooted governance issues that hinder the country’s growth and potential. Calling for immediate and comprehensive reforms, Obi stated that Nigerians deserve a government focused on measurable progress in development and the well-being of its citizens. ReplyForwardAdd reaction

Nigeria’s Underperforming In Oil, Gas Sector Due To Insecurity – Lokpobiri

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Mr Heineken Lokpobiri, has said that the challenge of insecurity in the Niger Delta was responsible for the underperformance of the petroleum sector. The Minister, who said this in a meeting with the Abuja Chapter of the Energy Correspondent Association Friday in Abuja, added that it was also affecting Nigeria’s oil production output.   While noting that the issue was making it difficult for the country to meet its OPEC production quota, Lokpobiri said the government was working to address the drawback. He was hopeful that by the end of 2023, the country would increase its oil production to about 2 million barrels per day. Due to massive crude oil theft and pipeline vandalisation, Nigeria’s oil production presently hovers between 1.3-1.4 million barrels per day. “My sole agenda is to increase production. Once we increase production we will get more revenue for the country. You know Nigeria is still more dependent on oil. “Though the non-oil sector is also supporting the economy, a substantial part of our forex comes from oil. “The reason why we are underperforming is because of insecurity and we are gradually tackling those problems. “So, my ambition is to see how I can lead the sector to increase production so that we can get more revenue to deal with the fund and strategic rationale projects in the country. “I get the reports from relevant authorities. Today, we are doing about 1.4 million barrels of crude. So, we are steadily increasing but our target is to see how we can get to two million barrels,” he said. Lokpobiri urged the industry players to join hands together to find a permanent solution to the issue. He said the federal government was discussing with International Oil Companies and local producers to find a lasting solution to the insecurity challenge. He said the engagement was already yielding positive results. “We have identified where the problem is, and where we are getting the shortfall and we are already engaging them within the next few weeks, we will be able to give you how far we have gone in that direction. In an earlier remark, President of the association, Mr Victor Nnodim, assured the minister of the association’s readiness to partner with him as he sought to fulfill his agenda of ramping up crude oil production and delivering a better petroleum industry for the country. “We will support you to achieve your mandate,” he said.

Don’t Expect Stable Power After Vandalizing Electricity Grid, TCN Tells Nigerians

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has issued a stern warning to Nigerians, stating that the persistent vandalism of its installations has put the stability of the national electricity grid in jeopardy. In a statement posted on its official social media account, the TCN expressed deep concern over the alarming rate at which its facilities are being vandalized across the country.  The company firmly stated that Nigerians should brace themselves for an unstable electricity grid if this destructive trend continues. The TCN did not mince words when it criticized the general public for allowing vandals to run rampant, emphasizing that the consequences of this negligence would directly impact grid stability and expansion. TCN said: “The rate of vandalism of TCN’s installations nationwide is becoming alarming. We cannot eat our cake and still have it. We cannot continue to vandalize power infrastructure or look the other way when such activities are ongoing and expect grid stability and expansion.” This warning comes in the wake of concerning reports revealing the extent of the damage caused by vandals. Between January 2022 and September 2023, a total of 108 power transmission towers were destroyed. Additionally, in May, nine TCN transmission towers were vandalized in Ogun State. These incidents have occurred in various regions, including Benin, Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, and Kano. Notably, some of these attacks have been attributed to the Boko Haram terrorist group, further highlighting that the issue extends beyond mere theft and accidents, constituting a deliberate act of sabotage against the nation’s power infrastructure.