Despite
claims by the Federal Government that it had increased generative capacity in
the Power sector from 2,800 megawatts to over 4,000 megawatts only about 40
million out of 160 million Nigerians have access to electricity.
Equally
disturbing is the fact that no budgetary allocation was made this year for
routine maintenance of power installations across the country.
These
revelations coming out of the briefing after Wednesday's Federal Executive
Council coincide with Minister of Niger Delta Godsday Orubebe's assertion that
work on the controversial East West road had reached 53 percent completion.
The
progress in the Power sector has been the talking point of Ministers of
government in recent weeks.
Despite
this, statistics which slipped out as the two Ministers overseeing the Power
Ministry answered questions paint a different picture.
It
starts with Minister of State for Power Zainab Kuchi. Saying only 40million
Nigerian Nigerians have access to electricity despite the giant strides made in
the sector.
Then
the Minister of Power Chinedu Nebo admits that responding to incidents that
have disrupted Power supply has been difficult because no budgetary allocation
was made this year for routine maintenance of power installations across the
country.
Professor
Nebo also redefined his earlier assertion that evil forces were behind
some of the woes in the Power sector.
Nevertheless,
progress in the power sector remains on course with power generation
capacity expected to hit 10,000 megawatts by December, this year.
On the
day, Minister of Niger Delta Godsday Orubebe says work on the East West road
had reached 53 percent completion and insists that quality of work on the road
was up to standard.
The
Niger Delta Minister says part of the success of his Ministry lies in
negotiations with Militants which had brought the spate of kidnapping and
vandalism in the region to an all time low.
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