By Adedapo Adesanya
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his displeasure with the state of electricity in Nigeria, emphasising that his administration was working hard on fixing the albatross.
The President made the disclosure while speaking during an exclusive interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, monitored by Business Post.
President Buhari reiterated his administration in providing infrastructure for Nigerians, including improving electricity which was below par as it produces just 4,000 megawatts on the national grid.
Mr Buhari noted that he was not happy with the state of the country’s electricity infrastructure which is underserving the country even as the nation has the capacity to produce 13,000 megawatts of electricity.
“I am not because I identify that no country can develop without infrastructure and infrastructure means road, rail and power,” Mr Buhari said.
The President also shed more light on why the electricity supply is yet to be stable in the country, noting that while the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is fully under government control, the government inherited the Distribution Companies (DisCos).
According to the President, the owners of Discos bought them based on geo-political zones rather than merit.
He added, “The people that own them, who are they? They are not electrical engineers, they don’t have money, it is just a political favour.
“To remove a system and reintroduce one is no joke. Luckily we have the TCN and that is the transmission. If we can get our technology right, we will cut the cost on transmission and the likelihood of sabotaging the lines and so on.”
He also noted that the road networks in Nigeria were a source of concern but had seen considerable progress.
“This government is working very hard on the road. Try to imagine what was happening between Lagos to Ibadan six months ago and what it is now.
“We are doing from Lagos to Kano the rail, road from here to Kaduna to Kano. So we have to get the infrastructure right and then Nigerians will mind their own business. But when the infrastructure is not there, the roads are not there, the rail is virtually killed, no power, what do we expect people to do?” he quipped.