A few weeks
back, the minister of power Barrister Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) quipped that
some states in Nigeria are already enjoying 24 hours electricity supply. Though opinion molders have taking him to task
saying his assertions were all fallacy. They mused that his appointment does
not fit his training. That it is a round peg in a square hole. Wetin concern lawyer
with electricity?
My take is
that if the minister in charge of electricity says his outfit is supplying 24
hours electricity to some states and the consumers are saying they are not
getting that much supply, it then shows there is a mystery somewhere down the
line. It is that mysterious ‘disappearance’ of electricity that I want us to
look at using Edo State as an example.
It is a
known fact that electricity cannot be stored. So as it is generated it is
supplied to the consumer for usage. But in Edo State there is a phenomenon
introduced by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC of rationing electricity to consumers. For
example, they will supply electricity to a community for 3 three hours and turn
off for another 3 hours. Some are could be on a 4 four hours rotation. If you
happen to be in these neighbourhoods when the lights are suppose to come on at
say 9am and to go off by 12noon, you will notice the promptness and the
regularity of the switching off and switching on. This goes to show that the
electricity is always available to them for onward supply at the promised time.
What this is telling us is that BEDC has access to 24 hours electricity supply
from the national source, but choose to buy less and supply to the people on
rationing. The little they bought from the national is now shared for few hours
to the local consumer. Because, as at the time A is turned off another B is receiving
supply.
Fashola was
right there is 24 hours electricity supply but companies like BEDC has chosen
to short change their costumers by undersupplying them due their gross inefficiency.
BEDC should
buy enough electricity and truly supply the people with 24 hours electricity,
supply them with meters and let the people pay for their fair consumption. The
economy will grow and BEDC will be profitable. What BEDC is doing right now is
pure economic sabotage.
feeling positive.