How we plan to spend N8 billion budgetary provision

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Thursday, said that N8 billion in the 2025 budget provided by the ministry was mainly intended for advocacy, education, monitoring and the provision of technology to protect electrical equipment.

The ministry added that the fund will also be used to educate Nigerians on the need to protect and take ownership of the country’s infrastructure and other assets.

Adelabu, in a statement by Bolaji Tunji, his special adviser on technical communication and media relations on Thursday, made the announcement based on reports that the ministry is considering spending 8 billion to help Nigerians pay for electricity in 2025.

On Thursday Mr. Adelabu said apart from such claims, the ministry has no reason to preach to Nigerians on the need to pay for the electricity they consume because the various distribution companies (DisCos) can repay the debts that the people enjoy. .

“Apart from what is under review, the federal government is very concerned about the losses that have continued to destroy the gains it has made in the last one and a half years in the supply of electricity to Nigerians. It is important to correct the perception that N8 billion is being asked to inform the payment of electricity.

“We all know that in the past few months, vandalism has continued to plunge various parts of the country into darkness as vandals throw bombs under power towers, lift power lines and cables, and recently destroy underground infrastructure. cables that have thrown many parts of Abuja into darkness, it is important to protect electrical equipment,” Adelabu said.

He explained that the campaign will involve public awareness in 774 LGAs, 36 local governments and Abuja.

“It may involve the use of electronic platforms such as radio and television, social media, newspapers, and billboards to further sensitize Nigerians on the problem of electronic waste disposal and the need to sensitize Nigerians to own these devices.

“It will also be necessary for people affected by different groups to discuss in town meetings; contact the local security forces to protect such property. This will also involve the deployment of technology to protect these assets,” he said.

Also, he said the ministry will start some Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in many areas that will participate in the installation of electricity in the country to encourage and encourage them to be protected by local hunters and security forces.

“All this will be very expensive. Specifically, advertising will take us to all parts of the country, and we will have meetings with leaders, stakeholders and young people. We will run music on television and radio; we will go on social media to reach the people we have to deal with.

“We will reach them in their languages ​​and in their language. So, you can imagine how much this will cost, but we believe that this will help us solve this issue and build it. This is what the allocated budget was for,” said the minister.

According to him, saying that the ministry has set aside 8 billion dollars for public awareness about debt repayment shows a lack of understanding of all the problems in the power sector.

“We have DisCos that provide power to customers, so we have no reason to force customers to pay for what they eat.”

Adelabu said it cost the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) over N9 billion to bring back the transmission towers and lines that were destroyed by terrorists on the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line that cast a pall over northern Nigeria last year.

“Until now, we have not completed the work on the lines due to insurgents who continue to obstruct the maintenance of some of the lines. It is our belief that the announcement we are making should correct the minds of those who want to set us back in our efforts to provide efficient, effective, and uninterrupted electricity to Nigerians, ” he added.

Only last weekend, he said, almost half of Abuja was thrown into darkness due to the activities of vandals.

He added that the history of destroying powerful weapons of this type is well known.

However, he said that in recent years, it has grown a lot and in the last year, it has continued to grow.

“We have experienced continuous and very violent attacks on our infrastructure. If you remember, for more than two weeks last year, almost the entire northern region of the country was thrown into darkness, as bandits and terrorists, not only vandals, attacked our transmission lines and towers on the transmission lines of Shiroro- Mando-Kaduna.

Dynamite was used to bring down towers and lines. This is one of many similar attacks across the country. “We have received help from the security agencies in the country to deal with the violence, but it is not over,” he said.

The ministry added that the ministry does not have the police force or the army to protect these weapons and this informed the decision to seek the approval of the National Assembly to start mobilizing community leaders, stakeholders, youths, and all Nigerians. they must take ownership of the electrical infrastructure in their communities and communities.

Grid collapse

Regarding the ongoing grid failure, he said efforts will continue to address these issues.

“It is clear that over the years, infrastructure has been neglected and allowed to rot and fall into disrepair. This is being gradually resolved. The Siemens project is one such solution. The pilot phase of the Siemens project was to ensure the installation of 10 power transformers and mobile service points across the country and so far, about 95 percent has been completed,” he said.

Currently, he said, eight power transformers and five mobile substations have been installed in the following areas; Okene, River; Amukpe, Delta; Ihovbor, Edo; There, Abuja; Maryland, Lagos; Potiskum, Job; Ajah, Lagos; Kebbi City, Kebbi; Jebba, Niger; Kwanar-dangora, Kano; UI, Uyo; Goodbye, Ogun.

He also said that the second phase will build 14 brownfield substations and 20 greenfield substations, saying that an agreement has been signed to build five substations since the first quarter of last year.

This, he said, will also strengthen the grid capacity and reduce grid collapse.

“Not only that, SCADA work is still going on. The statement explained that when the current administration started, the generation stopped at about 4000 megawatts, and during that time until now, more than 1000 megawatts have been added to the grid, reaching a three-year level of 5,528 megawatts. .

“In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise, electricity remains a fundamental right of Nigerians, and we will strive to achieve it,” he said.