Nigeria has been going through very rough times in terms of infrastructural decay and deficits in the past two decades. However, in the past eleven years since the restoration of civil rule and democratic governance, Nigeria ‘s energy sector – i.e. electricity, oil and gas sectors all have been disappointments to the nation to say the least.
The problems militating against the power sector have been identified and known to all concerned Nigerians and the international community concerned with Nigeria ‘s developmental paradoxes. The various solutions to these problems have been equally known to the Nigerian authorities and the general public. Therefore there is no need repeating them here again since they have been over flogged over time.
Nevertheless, the disappointing state of affairs of the power sector in particular despite the huge sums of money already poured and continued to be poured into it is the most topical issue of the day in both official and general public discuss on a daily basis since May 29, 1999 to date. For example, even foreign governments such as those from the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA) have expressed their serious disappointments with the shameful state of affairs of Nigeria ‘s power sector. Hence, they have expressed their readiness and desires to assist Nigeria solve the lingering power sector crisis through bilateral and multi-lateral arrangements.
But to date, all these efforts have failed to provide adequate electricity to the nation as the power generation situation still remains in the dismal and laughable region of 3,700 megawatts (MW) at best; for a nation of about 150 million people! President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was taken to task on this very thorny issue during his maiden live televised Presidential Media Chat hosted by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Headquarters, Abuja on Sunday, June 20, 2010.
The Chat went down very well indeed on all the issues raised. However, with regards to the nagging power sector reform implementation, what has been overlooked all these years is the issue of effective, efficient and result oriented management of the implementation of the recommended solutions to the problems bedevilling the sector.
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In a nutshell, there is absolute chaos and muddling-through in the way and manner the solutions to the problems are handled. Take for example, during the period of President Obasanjo’s administration (1999-2007), a lot of time, energy and resources were expended on numerous committees and sub-committees, seminars, workshops and retreats to produce the Power Sector Reform Act. Equally, several billions of United States dollars were expended to import new power generation, transmission and distribution plants and equipment amongst others but yet no tangible results thus far.
Ironically however, according to President Jonathan in his maiden live televised Presidential media chat, a number of very important gaps in power generation, transmission and distribution were left unplugged during the Obasanjo’s administration. Hence, according to Mr. President, from May 29, 2007 to date, the Federal Government of Nigeria has been engaged in fine-turning and trying to close these vital gaps in the power supply chain.
Nevertheless, I observed that President Jonathan did not elaborate and was not specific and direct in answering the question posed to him on the lingering power crisis during the Presidential media chat. This might be probably due to lack of enough time to do so. However, the crux of the matter still lies in sub-optimal management and governance of the power sector reform implementation process.
This is where the problem lies. For example, President Jonathan knowingly or unknowingly is repeating the same mistakes of both President Obasanjo and late President Yar’Adua in the management of the power sector reform implementation process. For instance, too many hands are involved in the management and governance of the implementation of the power sector reform process.
That is to say, President Jonathan is following the same footsteps of his predecessor who crowded the management and governance of the power sector reform implementation process with: a bloated Energy Council and too many committees and sub-committees with very large memberships from the public bureaucracy, political jobbers and the private sector appendages. No wander therefore, for three good years; the approach did not yield the desired results despite all the huge resource made available and the amount of money spent in remunerating the failed efforts of these individuals.
Paradoxically, since taking over the reign of Nigerian leadership from late Yar’Adua, first, as Acting President and shortly after, as full-pledged President and Commander-in-Chief, President Jonathan established a Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) with a sub-Committee on Power and a Presidential Task Force on Power amongst others. These Committees are in addition to his being the Minister of Power and the existence of a Minister of State for Power together with a Special Advisor and a Special Assistance on Power as well.
The establishments and composition of these Presidential Committees and the huge amounts of financial and non-financial resources at their disposal are actually the real reasons that prevent the smooth, efficient and effective implementation of the reform process in the power sector.
For instance, in addition to the political weight provided both from the Offices of President and the Vice President; who also play very significant roles in this endeavour. there is also an over concentration of bureaucratic power right from the door-steps of the office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), all through a number of co-opted Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that are equally involved in the implementation process. Similarly, private sector stakeholders, civil society organisations and donor countries are also not left behind in this endeavour!
