Nigeria’s power sector has been inert ever since it was officially unbundled and sold to private sector investors, according to the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Wednesday.
The Zonal Organising Secretary, NUEE Abuja, Ayodele Kolade, said during a press briefing that there had been no visible attempts by the successor power generation and distribution companies to expand their capacities and networks since taking over the companies unbundled from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
He said, “The entire exercise, which could be described as a charade, has not brought any meaningful impact/improvement on the sector, rather, it has led the nation to a huge setback.
“The infrastructural development by the new business owners in the power sector has almost gone comatose while the socio-economic status of the average worker in the sector has continued to decline amidst prevailing harsh economic conditions.
“The same pieces of equipment inherited pre-privatisation have remained what drive the sector as there are no visible attempts by the generation and distribution companies to upgrade and expand their capacities and networks.”
He added, “Nigerians were deceived into believing that the ‘harvestors’ had the financial/technical muscles to improve power generation and distribution to Nigerians.
“Can Nigerians be told today that this purpose has been achieved? The answer was echoed in the prints/electronic media by members of the National Assembly who even called for the total reversal of the entire process.”
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