News

FG Summons TCN, IBDC, AEDC, Exempts BEDC Despite Abysmal Power Supply To Edo, Ondo, Delta

Published

2 months ago

March 3, 2024

Editor

Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu has summoned chief executive officers of two Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to a meeting to hold in the coming week over worsening supply situations in their regions.

Those invited to the meeting are chief executive officers of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBDC).

Also summoned to the meeting is Mr Sule Abdulazeez, Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The summon is contained in a letter signed by Mr B.U Mustapha, Director, Distribution Services, Ministry of Power.

The management of other non-performing distribution companies would also be queried over non-performance as reports continue to filter in on the situation in their regions.

The two DisCos have been summoned due to the worsening power supply situation in their regions in spite of improved supply from TCN.

Unfortunately, despite summoning these DisCos for power supply, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), whose power supply is one of the poorest in the country was exempted from answering questions in the proposed meeting.

INFO DAILY recalls that the TCN, Benin Region, had during a media chat with newsmen in December 2023, said it generates over 400mw in the region but unfortunately BEDC purchases less than 100mw hence the poor supply to the states the DisCo covers

Mr Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser, Strategic Communication and Media Relations at the ministry stated on Saturday in Abuja said that gas shortage notwithstanding, electricity generation had been ramped up to more than 4000mw in recent days.

“The ministry expects power supply to have improved across the country, as opposed to current experience in some regions.

“Findings revealed that some distribution companies were deliberately not taking up power supply from TCN, while some power lines were also damaged by vandals in Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ibadan regions,’’ he stated.

He quoted the minister as saying that wilful non- performance by any DisCo could suffice as reason for severe punishment or outright license revocation.

“The minister also directed TCN to immediately begin repair works on damaged transmission towers and power lines to improve power supply in affected regions,’’ Tunii stated.

He recalled that the minister embarked on supervisory visits to some of the power generating plants in the last few months.

“He was in Kainji Hydropower Plant which will soon embark on an expansion plan to boost its existing 560mw operational capacity.

“He also visited Benue and Taraba to assess infrastructure being constructed to evacuate an additional 30mw from the Kashimbilla Hydropower Station to the national grid,’’ he stated.

Only 10mw is currently being evacuated from the Kashimbilla Hydropower Station to the national grid.

The minister was also at Olorunshogo and Omotosho thermal plants in Ogun and Ondo states, respectively and was at Ihvobor and Azura power plants in Edo.

During the visits, he assured that the Federal Government planned to pay part of the outstanding debts owed electricity Generation Companies (GenCos) and gas supply companies.

Tunji stated also that with efforts being made there should soon be succour for electricity consumers nationwide.

News

Father Of 12 Found Dead Inside Brothel In Bayelsa

Published

28 mins ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

A lifeless body of a man, said to be a father of 12 children has been found in a brothel at Tombia-Amossoma road axis of Yenagoa, Bayelsa.

According to the residents of the area, the deceased is a 40-year-old man from Delta, though his name was not known as at the time of filling the report.

The deceased was said to be suffering from partial stroke, before engaging in a sex rump that led to his unfortunate demise.

They said he was one of the customers of the commercial sex workers, who left home around 8 am on Tuesday to meet a prostitute, but was later found dead in the quarters.

It was gathered that the lifeless body was found naked in the apartment while all the commercial sex workers had deserted the said apartment.

At the time of visiting the scene, people living around the area were trying to get the identity of the deceased to contact the relative to evacuate the corpse for burial.

It was gathered that security operatives had previously raided the brothel and earmarked it as a red-light zone.

The Commander of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in Bayelsa State, Mr Tolumobofa Akpoebibo Jonathan, told Nigerian Tribune at the scene that the deceased is a 40-year-old father of 12 from Delta state.

Police spokesperson in Bayelsa, ASP Musa Muhammed, told Nigerian Tribune that he was trying to reach out to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area to get accurate information about what happened while promising to get back on the cause of the incident.
Tribune online

News

BDC Operators Arrested As Naira Sells 1,416/$

Published

3 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

Operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday reportedly arrested some Bureau De Change operators at the popular Wuse Zone 4 market on Tuesday.

This came as traders also said some BDC operators resisted the arrest during a sting operation.

The operatives had embarked on routine raids to sanitise the market of street traders and eliminate arbitrary trading.

But this move was resisted on Tuesday leading to gunshots and damage to the operative’s vehicles, two currency traders who witnessed the incident confirmed to The PUNCH.

One of the traders who asked not to be named for fear of retribution said the traders simply acted out of frustration as the arrests were becoming too rampant and just to extort money from them.

He said, “EFCC guys came to raid and make an arrest on Monday and they came today (Tuesday) but today’s operation was too strong.

“This is the issue we are facing. Yesterday (Monday) they arrested traders but they were attacked back today and gunshots were fired because our people tried to resist the arrest. They were provoked and frustrated. They even broke the glasses of the EFCC vehicles today and that means people are getting tired and desperate.”

Another trader who confirmed the incident warned that a continued raid by the anti-corruption body might lead to killings.

The trader who also pleaded anonymity said, “If this thing continues like this, that means they would kill people because if they try to arrest next time, nobody would agree and another person would gather together so that nobody would be taken.

“That was happened today. People are now turning because all they do after arrest is to collect money from us. Nothing else is done. They are frustrating use.’

The EFCC had resumed raiding in a bid to stabilise the naira.

Penultimate week, the commission arrested over 35 suspected currency speculators for alleged foreign exchange fraud.

Last week, it also paraded over 20 BDC operators arrested in the capital city.

Despite these efforts, the naira has continued on a free fall.

On the rates, the operators said they bought the dollar at N1,400 and sold at N1,425 per dollar leaving a profit margin of N25.

It also indicated an N5 drop from the N1,430 it sold on Monday.

A trader, Malam Yahu, complained of the market fluctuation, adding that it was now difficult to project what the rates would trade at.

He said, “Right now the market is just fluctuating, the naira is not stable at all and that’s why we are even sceptical about buying now. We can’t even predict how the market will trade.

“For instance, after today’s arrest, I didn’t buy or make sales to avoid a loss. I bought it earlier today at N1,400 and sold it at N1,425.

“We have also noticed that once the prices go up, there will be scarcity because they would expect the naira to drop further but if it’s at a loss, they would then rush to sell it off.”

At the official market, data obtained from the FMDQ exchange securities revealed that the currency depreciated to N1,416/$ from N1,354/$ recorded at the foreign exchange market on Monday.

The new rate indicated that the naira dropped by 4.4 per cent or N62, raising concerns about rapid fluctuations.

The intraday high increased to N1,445 on Tuesday from N1,441/$1 recorded on Monday. The intraday low also depreciated to N1,301/$1 as against N1,285/$1 it traded on Monday.

The volume of dollars supplied by willing buyers and willing sellers however increased to $160.77m from $84.3m on Monday.

The former rate was the lowest point in approximately ten weeks when daily turnover was $66.4 million, which occurred on February 19, 2024.
PUNCH

News

Suspended Edo Lawmaker, Iyamu Breaks Silence, Says All Issues Will Be Resolved

Published

5 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

One of the suspended members of the Edo State State House of Assembly, Hon. Bright Iyamu, has urged his constituents and supporters to remain calm and shun any form of violence.

The lawmaker, representing Orhionmwon South Constituency in the House of Assembly was suspended alongside two other lawmakers namely: Hon. Donald Okogbe (PDP Akoko-Edo II) and Adeh Isibor (APC Esan North-East Constituency I) on Monday May 6, 2024, by the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku.

Reacting, a statement from the office of the lawmaker assured that the “ugly situation will be brought under control.”

“I had no motive to call for the impeachment of the Speaker, nor the intentions to impugn the integrity of the house,” he added.

Iyamu reassured his constituents and supporters that normalcy will be restored soon to the Edo State House of Assembly.

Recall that the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Agbebaku suspended the three members for allegedly plotting to effect a change of leadership in the house.