Date Published: 11/16/09

Sir,

Talking about Power Generation and Oil deregulation

We have been hearing of 6000 megawatts of electricity to be generated by end of 2009. We just have only one month to go and we are still getting different statements from several of our leaders. At one time the Minister in charge of Electricity Power mentioned that attaining the 6000mw would not translate to constant electricity. Today we hear one official say we have now attained 5000mw, another say it is 3000mw; yet another say we shall still get to the 6000mw by December.. Let it be known to them that if by December they fail to give constant electricity, nothing has been achieved in that sector.

We have read where the NNPC claimed that the gas required to service the power stations for the attainment of the 6000mw is within its reach. Yet for NNPC not able to supply gas to the 191mw IPP at Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State which has been ready for the past two years, Governor Akpabio just doled out US$33million (N5billion) to support a private company that would, according to him, gather the gas in Akwa Ibom soil to feed the completed Power Plant in order to ensure it supplies light by December. Here, we do not know who is saying the truth – NNPC or Akwa Ibom government.

On the pending deregulation of the oil industry, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ajumogobia, hinted in THIS DAY newspaper November 11, 2009, page 3 that Nigeria is arranging to make use of Senegalese refinery for part of our domestic use. Our refineries in Nigeria are not catered for maximum production and what is wrong in setting up more refineries (private ones inclusive) to cater for our home consumption with even some excess for export. Nigeria remains the only OPEC country that sends out its crude and buys them back refined for home consumption. What a shame!

I think the conclusion here is that we have not gotten the right persons leading Nigeria; with the political will to change things for better

Mr. Soriwei P. Igoni, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State