21-02-09 Despite the government's promise to achieve a power generation target of 6,000 MW before the end of this year, there is as yet no comprehensive master plan for the power sector, new Minister of Power Dr Rilwan Olanrewaju Babalola said in Abuja.
He also described the country's current state of power supply as shameful.

Babalola, who spoke to reporters in his office, said, "I don't believe politics is affecting our ability to achieve the planned power supply. The fact is that the power sector has no master plan. There is no power plan yet. If you want to achieve vision 2020, we need to get a master plan, and we need to invest about $ 100 bn on power between now and then."
Noting that $ 100 bn is a huge sum and may not be available, he said, "If the money is not there, maybe we should reduce our expectations."

Dr Babalola said one of the major impediments to power generation in Nigeria is inadequate gas supply. According to him, power supply in the country has improved to around 3,200 MWand that the 6,000 MW target for December this year is feasible.
Another problem affecting the sector, according to the minister, is the decay of power installations across the country.

"If you have a car and you did not service it for 10 years, you know it would give problem. This is the situation before us. We don't have long term master plan. Everything is ad hoc. We still have that mentality that we should rush and build power stations."
"We need to go back to the basics. It is a crass shame that Nigeria, with a population of 140 mm people is still producing only 3,000 MW," he said.

Speaking on the planned power emergency to be declared by the government, Babalola said it would be declared as soon as practicable, adding that government was still working on it as President Yar'Adua is mindful of the emergency.
Meanwhile, the minister also announced that President Yar'Adua has, following the recommendation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), approved the suspension of the seven commissioners of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). Chairman of the Commission (NERC) Dr Ransome Owan and six other commissioners were arrested by EFCC agents earlier for alleged fraud running into billions of naira.

Babalola said Yar'Adua approved the appointment of Mr Imamdeen A. Talba, Secretary to the Commission, to oversee its affairs pending the resolution of the matter. He also said Engr. Alex Amakom will assist in running the affairs of the commission.
"The law is clear. The president appointed the commissioners and can ask them to vacate their offices," he said. He denied that he was the mastermind of the petition to the EFCC. He said although he has been briefed about the preliminary outcome of the EFCC investigations, he could however not comment on them as further investigations are still being conducted. He assured Nigerians that the corruption scandal will not affect the NERC and the power sector.

It would be recalled that Chairman NERC, Dr Ransome Owan andsix of his Commissioners were arrested by EFCC on February 3 for allegedly misappropriating billions of naira in 2008 from the coffers of the agency. The six suspended commissioners are Abdul-Rahman Ado (Vice-Chairman and Commissioner, Market Competition and Pricing), Muhammed Baba Gana Bunu (Finance and Support Services), Prof. O.C. Iloeje (Research and Development), Dr Muhammed Alimi Abdul-Rasaq (Legal, Licensing and Enforcement), Abimbola Odubiyi (Engineering Standards and Safety) and Dr Grace Eyoma (Government and Consumer Affairs).
The minister declined to mention the amount thought to have been pilfered from the agency's coffers.