Power outage: Coalition demands public hearing on sector’s performance

Electricity Unions and Civil Society Demand Senate Hearing on Power Sector’s Performance Since 2013

A coalition of electricity unions and civil society organizations has called on the Nigerian Senate to urgently convene a public hearing to examine the performance of the country’s power sector since its privatization in 2013.

The coalition, which includes the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), and the Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF), expressed deep concerns over the ongoing challenges within the sector.

In a statement released by the Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor, the coalition highlighted the deteriorating state of electricity in the country, citing frequent power grid collapses and low power generation as key issues. Jakpor noted that despite the privatization initiative, electricity generation has remained between 4,000 and 5,800 MW, with the grid collapse becoming a national embarrassment.

The coalition’s call comes after a symposium in December 2024, where participants reviewed a Senate Committee on Power report on the issue. The coalition pointed out that the privatisation model has failed to meet the needs of over 230 million Nigerians, further aggravated by the rise in electricity tariffs and the creation of an arbitrary class system based on electricity consumption.

“The privatisation of the electricity sector has failed the Nigerian people,” Jakpor said, urging the Senate to invite Nigerians to share their experiences over the past 12 years. The group also expressed opposition to further privatisation initiatives proposed by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), which they believe prioritize profit over service delivery and human rights.

Instead, the coalition is advocating for the adoption of a Public-Public-Partnership (PPP) model, which they claim would be more effective and transparent. They emphasized that sustainable investment in human capital within the public sector could help achieve greater efficiency in electricity service delivery.

The group also called for an end to the practice of targeting workers during reforms, advocating for regular training and performance-based assessments.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, reported that since President Bola Tinubu’s administration took office, power generation has increased by over 1,000 MW, raising the national grid’s capacity to 5,528 MW. However, the coalition remains critical of the long-standing issues plaguing the sector and seeks a comprehensive review and reform through the proposed public hearing.

SOURCE: Naija247news