The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday, promised improved power supply in the next six days, by assuring Nigerians that power generation would ramp up to 4,000 megawatts.
Recall, that Nigerians have been experiencing frequent power outage, which worsened in the last few weeks, even as the weather became hotter, provoking bitter complaints from citizens.
The Minister who spoke on Arise Television stated: “In six days time, we will restore generation to 4,000MW,” promising: “By the time you have the hydro station back during the raining season, you will get more.”
“For the first time in a long time, this is the peak of very hot weather, where the waters in the hydro plants are down,” he said.
The problem he stated, was compounded by the shutting down of two power stations on Saturday, assuring Nigerians however, that government was determined to average generation at 3,400MW.
“Two of our plants are down; they are trying to evacuate the condensates. We are however, keeping power generation at about 3,400MW,” he said, expressing hope that with the advent of the rain season, and restoration of the hydro stations, generation would be ramped up to 4,000MW.
Fashola charged gas suppliers and generating companies to do more to produce power, since the government had firmed its debt payment plan.
Restating the Federal Government’s commitment to pay debts owed distribution companies by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, he said he would not make a recommendation to government to pay any kobo of tax payers’ money for any debt that was not properly verified.
He said: “For debts, one of the earliest statements I made was that we will pay all the debts once they are verified, and the process of verification is taking place. Right now, we are looking at over 250,000 invoices comprising of I think 4,000 accounts. I won’t make a recommendation to government to pay any kobo of tax payers’ money for a debt I cannot put my signature to.
“And so I have a team doing that, we are making good progress and raising questions. That is how debts are going to be settled, we will pay every debt that is owed and verified.”
He said the government had promised to deliver 4000MW of electricity, adding that, it was on that basis that the tariff was defined.
He however, added that the government could not achieve that because of vandalism, which according to him, was the business of government and not that of the operators.
Fashola said the country was beginning to see the need to generate more power with solar energy, and also revive coal, because all of the other sources of energy were also subject to their own inherent weaknesses.
“When it is raining, solar is not very efficient, and that is when you should go to gas. When it is not raining, your hydro is not good, and that is when you should be able to go to coal. This is what needs to be done, but I assure you that it would be done, we will get it right,” he said.
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