By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government has said it would not hesitate to revoke the operating licences of electricity generating companies (DisCos) over the worsening power supply in the country.
In a post on his X (formerly known as Twitter) on Wednesday, the Minister of Power, Mr Bayo Adelabu, said he was worried that despite the efforts of the government to ensure steady electricity supply to the citizens as promised by President Bola Tinubu, the energy firms saddled with the responsibility were failing.
He has, therefore, “summoned the chief executives of [the] Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and [the] Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), as well as the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to a crucial meeting” in Abuja.
According to him, “I am deeply concerned about the deteriorating electricity supply across the country,” and would use the meeting to “discuss the worsening power supply in their respective regions and to collectively find lasting solutions.”
“It is disheartening to witness the decline in power supply despite the concerted efforts to improve the situation,” he said, noting that, “The Ministry has been exerting pressure on the Generating Companies (GENCOs) to enhance their performance, resulting in a recent increase in generation to over 4000MW.”
The Minister lamented that despite the efforts of the government, “certain distribution companies are failing to adequately distribute the power supplied by TCN, while vandalism of power infrastructure exacerbates the problem in regions such as Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan.”
“Moving forward, I am committed to holding all distribution companies accountable for their performance. Wilful non-performance will not be tolerated, and severe consequences, including license revocation, may be imposed,” he declared.
Mr Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said he has “instructed TCN to prioritize repair works on damaged transmission towers and power lines to improve supply in affected regions.”
He disclosed that the government is planning to “settle outstanding debts owed to power generation and gas supply companies, which will alleviate the financial strain and contribute to improved generation levels nationwide.”
“I urge electricity consumers to remain patient as we work tirelessly to address these issues and provide better service to all Nigerians,” he concluded.
Adedapo Adesanya