House Probes Blackout across Nigeria, Invites Power Ministry

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives at the plenary yesterday mandated its Committee on Power to invite the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) Disco to explain the recurring blackout in the 36 states of the country as well as the federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The House also resolved to invite the Ministry of Power to oversee the process of reversing the embarrassing and continuous blackout in Bayelsa and other States.

It further mandated the committee to liaise with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to execute all projects towards upgrading the 132substation and other projects in Bayelsa, Delta and River States.

The resolutions of the lawmakers followed the adoption of amendment to the prayer of a motion of urgent public importance on the ‘Need to stop the recurrent power blackout and wanton misery and degradation of lives in Bayelsa State’, sponsored by Hon. Preye Oseke.

Moving the motion, Oseke said Bayelsa State has been in darkness in the last 30 days as a result of vandalisation of two transmissions powers.

He said of the two affected feeders, one has been temporarily connected to the Government House feeder for four weeks of the total blackout.

According to him, the ugly scenario estimated to last three months could increase casualties on a daily basis as a result of lack of power supply in medical facilities operating in the state.

The lawmakers expressed concerns that considering youth restiveness on account of mass unemployment, the recurrent blackout is tilting towards closure of businesses operating in the states thereby increasing the likelihood of throwing more youths into the already over bloated labour market.

Oseke said: “I am disturbed that crime rate has increased and that this could lead to loss of lives and property in the state of not checked. Bayelsa State Government has shown commitment in providing land for substations, and partner TCN in the evaluation of right of way compensation and provisions of security for projects. Also, the government has liaised with TCN to come up with acomprehensive design for facilities in achieving their goals as well as interfacing with Port Harcourt Disco in order to expand the power distribution network in the state. Very worried that in the face of all these efforts, on the part of the state government, no critical power facility required to upgrade and expand the 132 KV transmission substation has seen the light of the day despite the award several years ago.”