Date Published: 07/16/09

Sir,

Expecting 6,000MW power generation by December?

The expected 6000MW power generation by December 2009, which is one of the 7-point agenda of the present administration may not be achieved. The President had at a time told the Minister in charge of the sector to go ahead and ensure that 6000MW gets achieved accordingly because “I have been having sleepless night about it and would not want it to fail”, the President was quoted in the media. He reinforced it to the Minister by alluding that whatever it would take him to achieve, he was free to ask; “Even if it involves removing whosoever is on your way, just let me know and the person would be out of the way”, the president was further quoted.

CBN governor Sanusi had suggested to the president the wisdom in prioritizing his 7-point agenda. In other words, Sanusi was only saying that a new approach must be taken if the agenda must be achieved; each point must be taken one after the other as tackling all simultaneously may witness achievement of none.

Again, if the President aimed at achieving his power generation target, he should not have budgeted N25billion for acquisition and running of generators (only for the Presidency?) in his 2009 budget. By so providing, he had given the public the impression not to expect the December target.

It will be recalled that some weeks back, the Federal Executive Council weekly meeting could not hold properly because of failure of electricity at the Presidency.  Last week when I was in Abuja, it was a nation’s capital without electricity power. The car that drove me nearly got involved in an accident because the traffic lights that depended on electricity were not working; we were lucky but some were not, as I noticed some accidents. With the prevailing situation, could we have hosted Obama in Abuja last week?

Dr. Tarilabo Opuaya

Aba Road, Port Harcourt

Rivers State.