Earlyface

SOME eminent Nigerians, including Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Thursday took a critical look at the state of the nation and expressed regret that Nigeria has consistently failed to practically meet its development goals, including those set in the Vision 20: 2020.

According to them, development plans will never translate into realities unless they are complimented with aggressive investment in relevant infrastructure and executed with strategic plans.

The leaders spoke at the inaugural ‘Nigeria: Arise and Shine Annual Lecture’ organised by the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) in Victoria Island, Lagos yesterday.

The lecture titled ‘’Appraisal of Vision 20:2020: Perspective of Power Generation and National Development’’ was delivered by a member of the Local Central Working Committee, Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020 Board and Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Rahaman Bello.

Dignitaries at the lecture include Governor Babatunde Fashola, represented by his Head of Service, Adesegun Ogunlewe, Minister for National Planning and Development, Shamsudeen Usman, who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Economic Planning, Babatunde Lawal, former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, Air Vice Marshal Olufunsho Martins (rtd) and the moderator, former Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo, Prof. Fola Lasisi.

Immediate past pro-chancellor, University of Lagos, Deacon Gamaliel Onasode, President and Chairman, Governing Council, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, Chief Lugard Aimiuwu, President and Chairman-in- Council of NIM, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, Registrar of UNILGA, Mr. Oluwarotimi Shodimu and the Head of Department of Law, Prof. Akin Oyebode were also at the event.

In his remarks, Fashola said critical questions should be asked on why Nigeria, over the years, has failed to deliver stable electricity supply to its people.

“Power generation and distribution has been of concern to many Nigerians because power is central and key to growing the economy. The questions we have to ask ourselves at this forum are: How do we achieve this vision; what do we need to do as citizens; what do we need to do as government; what do we need to do jointly and severally to have regular power supply that will drive our economy? Has the over-centralisation of power at the centre helped us as a nation or it has retarded us, is it in tandem with federalism as practised in other climes?

“May be we need to address fiscal federalism that will allow each federating unit the elbow room and wherewithal to develop at its pace. We do not have the same challenges neither do we have the same resources available to meet our aspirations. A situation where the centre sits on more than 50 per cent of resources while the federating units and local governments that are closer to the grassroots depend on the ‘crumbs’ or benevolence of the centre is not encouraging.”

In his lecture, Bello explained that according to the originally adopted master plan of Vision 20:20:20 Development Goal, especially as it relates to power generation and national development, Nigeria had projected to generate 35,000 megawatts of electricity in seven years.

But he said in practical term, this may not be achievable, as the nation’s current electricity generation capacity, according to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, is pegged at 10,000 megawatts. He noted that this figure is inclusive of additional inputs from all the infrastructure of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) across the country, and has exposed a shortfall of 25000 megawatts.

According to him, “ the vision 20:2020, therefore, recognises that for the Nigerian economy to become one of the top 20 in the world, it has to generate and make available to its citizens adequate power for economic and social purposes. But electricity supply has been unstable in the country and consequently stunted economic growth because of multiple factors, ranging from lack of adequate investments in maintenance and new infrastructure to abandonment of other reliable sources of cleaner and sustainable electricity like coal, solar, nuclear, wind and bio-gas.

“Unfortunately too, most of the power sector infrastructural facilities in Nigeria were built in the 1970s and ‘80s. Due to lack of maintenance and adequate expansion of the facilities, the country has had to live with epileptic and limited availability of electricity. Currently, less than 50 per cent of the Nigeria’s total population has access to the national grid due to inadequate transformation and distribution networks. Also, aging and poorly maintained infrastructure, weak and radial network configuration and overloaded transformers result in frequent system collapse, high transmission and distribution losses and poor voltage profile.”

Citing a global report, Bello explained that Nigeria, with a population of over 160 million poor, is generating 5000 megawatts of electricity. He said that two years ago, the country lagged behind with 5000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity.

For instance, he said, “given Nigeria’s available generation capacity of 5,482MW (2010) and an estimated 150 million population, the 136KWH per cent per capital estimate is abysmally low when compared to South Africa which has 40,000MW for population of 50 million people; Brazil with 100.000MW for 192 million people.”

In his submission, the moderator, Prof. Lasisi said, ”there was no way Nigeria can achieve its Vision 20:20:20 goal, even against its much statistical growth in economic indices, if critical infrastructure like the electricity is not adequately invested on. For instance, Nigeria’s annual GDP is about N256 billion, but according to the development plan, the country is supposed to be pegged on $N400 billion by now in order for it to meet the goal.”

Olawale-Cole, said the concept of ‘Nigeria: Arise and Shine’ is to inspire unflinching patriotism among Nigerians. “ We are strongly convinced that it will take the action of both a committed government and a responsible followership to move Nigeria to the desired destination. In as much as government is expected to do all within its powers at all times to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the governed, the governed should not only support the government but speak well and positively of the country and its leadership always.”