News
Nigeria’s Worsening Public Power Situation
The epileptic supply of public power in Nigeria has drastically hindered the growth of all sectors of the economy in the country. It is now so bad that if it comes, it is only a back up.
The country’s power supply appears to be going from bad to worse.
The negative effects of Nigeria’s notoriously unreliable power supply is chiefly responsible for the tardiness in the growth of the Nigerian economy.
Despite assurances of improved power supply to Nigerians, the situation is deteriorating by the day.
Only recently, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, minister of Power, assured Nigerians that the ministry was working hard to ensure stable power supply.
He said “The immediate goal of the federal government is to ensure that those already getting between 12 and 14 hours of supply begin to enjoy between 16 and 18 hours of power supply, respectively.
“We also have a target to ensure that major cities like Lagos and Abuja get between 22 and 23 hours’ supply daily.” Nebo added.
Even the privatization of PHCN touted as the elixir to the power supply conundrum has yielded no result.
This is typical of government officials and players in the power generation and distribution of advancing one alibi or the other to explain why the power supply target cannot be achieved.
In the past some of the reasons include the absence of gas, which is critical for the firing of the power plants.
The international oil companies (IOCs), and their Joint Venture Partner – the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had claimed that the militancy in the Niger Delta region was impeding their gas development efforts.
But the real problem with public power supply is with the government bureaucracy and known penchant of some characters in government who are profiteering from the public power supply crisis.
A lot of money has been spent and still being spent by the federal government in providing electricity. Yet the results are not encouraging.
Today, over 90 per cent of companies and other business outfits operating in Nigeria depend heavily on their own source of power supply rather than public power supply. This is not acceptable.
Power is the key driver of industrialization and major force behind a productivity society as well as an ink on the wheels of better communication.
Surprisingly, this essential ingredient of life is today not a right in Nigeria; it is a privilege and one the powers that be dispenses at their whims and caprices.
Power supply crisis has become a national embarrassment leaving in its wake a catastrophic damage on the economy and national psyche.
From small businesses to multi corporations and to homes, assured power supply is still a distant dream only the intrepid can afford.
The foregoing underscores the need to put public power back on track to see if the operators will blame another factor for the poor services they provide.
Government should also grant some kind of palliatives to the companies in Nigeria to cushion the effect of the worsening power situation and theft of their generators.
News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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