News

FG May Revoke DisCos’ Licenses For Poor Performance – Minister

Published

4 years ago

February 20, 2020

Editor

FG May Revoke DisCos’ Licenses For Poor Performance – Minister

The Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has attributed failure in electricty supply to Distribution Companies’ (DisCos) poor performance, stressing that FG may revocate some licenses after review.

Stating that the Federal Government Executive Council will decide the fate of the DisCos, after reviewing the memo on their performance, the Minister lamented that Power supply has failed to improve in the country in spite of the promise by successive governments since 1999 and the privatization of the sector in 2013.

Nation reports that the Minister said DisCos have failed to meet up with their obligations while the government is no longer willing to continue subsidising them.

He said “Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the German government and Siemens. They are to align between distribution, transmission and generation so that if we generate 13,000 megawatts, transmission will take the whole 13,000 and will distribute same. That way, Nigerians will be happy and everyone will have 24/7 electricity supply.”

“The DisCos are manning the distribution that is why I have submitted my observations to the government. It is left for the government to decide. We just have to sit and see whether they are capable, have the technical know-how because most of the problems we are having today is technical and commercial losses.

“They will give you electricity and may not collect your money or they will collect the money and pocket, or they may send electricity and you may not have good sub-station that may collect this power and distribute to customers. This has been our major problem and it is the responsibility of the DisCos to take care of that end”.

“Government cannot continue subsiding because what they (DisCos) are doing is that they collect 3,000 megawatts and pay for only 1,000 megawatts, that is 15 per cent of what they are collecting, so government is the one completing the payment. We cannot continue like that.

“If they are ready to continue, fine but if they are not ready to continue maybe they should give way to whoever that is ready to come and invest. We are asking the government to review and see if they are capable, but if they are not capable, they should give way.

“Most of the problems we are facing in this country that we cannot get electricity supplied adequately and efficiently is because we have a problem in distribution. Generation, no more problem.

“We can generate up to 13,000 megawatts, but the transmission, those who are taking the electricity supply can only take 7,000 megawatts, even at that they are not taking the whole 7,000 megawatts but only 4,500 megawatts and then send to distribution. The distribution in turn receives only 3,000 megawatts. Because of technical and commercial reasons, they cannot contain the entire power that has been generated.

“So, we have to correct the infrastructure. That is why I said that today, I submitted my observation to council and I believe the government is on it.”

On the financial interventions the government had made so far in the power sector, Mamman said: “If they are ready to continue, fine, but if they are not ready to continue maybe they should give way to whoever is ready to come and invest.

“We are asking government to review and see if they are capable but if they are not capable they should give way”, he added.

DisCos in the country are: Ikeja Electric, Benin DisCo, Abuja DisCo, Kano DisCo, Port Harcourt DisCo, Ibadan DisCo, Enugu DisCo, Eko DisCo, Jos DisCo, and Kaduna DisCo and Yola DisCo which is now in the hands of government.

(NATION)

PHOTO: File

Up Next

Edo APC Crisis: Party Goes Spiritual, Declares Fasting, Prayers

Don't Miss

Human Rights Violation: EDOCSO, CLEEN Foundation Want Govt To Strip Police Right Of Prosecutions

Comments

News

Police Reacts To Trending Video Of Woman Feeding Baby Alcohol,Vow To Fish Out Mother [WATCH]

Published

5 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has stated that the police will fish out a nursing mum filmed feeding her baby alcohol.

The disturbing video showed the woman who spoke in Yoruba, hailing her baby girl as she gulped the alcohol.

Reacting to the video, Adejobi wrote: ‘’Another assignment for us. This is too bad. We will fish her out. Thanks. @PoliceNG”

News

EFCC Arrests 13 Fake BDC Operators In Lagos

Published

8 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested thirteen fake bureau de change operators in Lagos.

They were arrested for operating BDC without an appropriate licence.

The suspects are: Abdulahi Musa, Garba Abdullahi, Dauda Hussaini, Jubril Musa, Abdulwaheed Iliyasu and Abubakar Mohammed.

Others are: Umar Saidu, Nurudeen AbdulAzeez, Hamidu Usman, Yusuf Isa, Musa Ishaka, Liman Makki and Idris Mohammed.

They were arrested during sting operations by EFCC’s operatives between May 10 and 13, 2024 at different parts of Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the Commission about their illicit business activities.

Also, a suspected currency racketeer, Kafayat Lateef was also arrested over for alleged involvement in the sale of the Naira notes in different denominations.

A sum of N2.1 million was recovered from her at the point of arrest. A statement by EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said that the suspects would soon be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

News

Ex-CBN Gov, Emefiele Faces Fresh Charge Over Printing Of Naira Emefiele

Published

10 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has preferred a fresh charge against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, over an allegation that he illegally printed Naira notes while he held sway at the apex bank.

The anti-graft agency, in the four-count charge it entered before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, equally accused the former CBN boss of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of about N124.8billion from the consolidated revenue fund.

According to the EFCC, the defendant, acting in violation of law and “with intent to cause injury to the public,” okayed the printing of naira notes without the approval of both the former President, Muhammadu Buhari and the board of the CBN.

Emefiele, who is already facing multiple charges both in Abuja and Lagos, is expected to take his plea before trial Justice Maryann Anenih.

Specifically, the charge against him, read: “That you Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of N375,520,000.00 pieces of colour swapped N1, 000, at the total cost of N11,052, 068,062 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 172,000,000 pieces of colour swapped N500 (Five Hundred Naira) Notes, at the total cost of N4, 471,066,040 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 137,070,000 pieces of colour swapped N200 (Two Hundred Naira) Note, at the total cost of N3, 441, 005, 280 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, on or about the 7th day of October 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 80 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), by approving the withdrawal of the total sum of N124, 860, 227, 865.16 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in a manner not prescribed by the National Assembly, which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had on June 9, 2023, suspended Emefiele from office as the head of the apex bank.

He was later arrested at his Lagos residence by DSS operatives.

The former CBN boss was subsequently transferred to the custody of the EFCC, which on November 28, 2023, docked him on a six-count charge that bordered on his alleged involvement in procurement fraud.

Though Emefiele, who initially spent 151 days in custody of security agencies, was later granted bail to the tune of N300million and ordered to produce two sureties that the trial court stressed must be Abuja residents that have landed property within the Maitama District, the defendant could not perfect the conditions till December 23, 2023, when he was released from Kuje prison where he spent about 34 days.