30 March 2017, Sweetcrude, Kaduna – The Managing Director of Kaduna Electric, Engr. Garba Haruna has suggested what he called a triple action strategy to solving the challenges bedevilling the nation’s power sector.
The strategies, as advocated by the electricity boss are reductions in the cost of electricity generation through reduction in the cost of gas; Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention through provision of low interest finance to the participants in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry and subsidisation of electricity to residential customers.
Engr Garba Haruna who made the assertion while granting audience to the House of Representative Committee on privatisation and commercialisation during the latter’s oversight visit to the company in Kaduna also called for the review of the capacity cost which the distribution companies are made to bear.
He disclosed that Kaduna Electric has invested N4.5b in one year towards its mass meters deployment programme.
He also announced that the Company’s desire to ensure full and timely metering of its customers is been inhibited by the existing regulatory frame work which limits the company’s annual investment in metering to N4.2b.
He also expressed concern over the monthly energy invoice being submitted to Kaduna Electric by both the Nigerian Bulk electricity Trading Company and the market Operator. According to him “70% of the monthly invoice of Kaduna Electric is from thermal generation companies even though the bulk of the power supplied to the company is from hydro stations”.
He appealed to the national assembly through the committee of privatisation to come hard on the perpetrators of energy theft and vandalism of power supply infrastructures by strengthening the existing law against the menace.
Earlier, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, Alhaji Ahmed Yarima disclosed that the essence of the oversight visit is to consolidate on the gains recorded after privatisation through enhance legislative process. He charged the Management of the Company to ensure full compliance with all its contractual agreement with the authority.
The Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises, Dr. Vincent Akpatare disclosed that the Federal Government is discussing with all stakeholders with the view to addressing the identified contradictions and challenges in the sector.
