Date Published: 10/28/09

Dear Editor,

6000MW: Name those States that promised contribution

Nigerians, especially those in power should stop talking with tongue-in-cheek. In June, the Federal Ministry of Finance had announced that eleven States in the federation volunteered to contribute some funds towards the actualization of the 6000mw of electricity by December 2009. There was great applause from the public.

Reading the Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Remi Babalola, on the front page of This Day newspaper of October 14, 2009, one got to know that none of the eleven governments had made good their promises. The Minister attributed the delay to the inability of those States to get their respective Houses of Assembly for authorization on the matter.

The federal government must not offer excuses towards failure in providing the 6000mw it promised to meet come December 2009. On the side of the State governments that promised and are still reneging, it goes to show that the chief executives of those States are taking Nigerians for granted and the funds under their control as private estates, otherwise, how come that a State like Akwa Ibom was able to get its House of Assembly to pass a 2009 supplementary budget of N75billion withinone week.. It is just that the matter of 6000mw would not personally benefit any of the respective Governors and Speakers alike that the matter is as it is; after all they all have at their comforts the standby generators which they operate at the expense of the masses.

Another point is that one would like to know why the Minister of State for Finance refused to avail the media the names of the State governments involved? He also has some blame in this situation. All we are saying is that December 2009 must see the nation have the uninterrupted power supply promised by the President. December is just two months away and we wait to see.

Ms Eno Ntuk,

Oron Road

UYO, Akwa Ibom State