..call for return of NEPA
The Campaign for Equal Rights and Opportunities for all Nigerians, CERON, has appealed to the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to revisit the privatisation of the power sector with a view to reversing the policy.
The Secretary of CERON, Mr. Francis Odiir who made the call Sunday said the privatisation of the power sector in Nigeria had left the sector worse off and contributed in no small measure to the crippling of small and medium scale businesses in the country.
He opined that the development in the sector in recent time was a clear indication that the privatisation of the sector was a huge mistake.
Odiir insisted that Nigerians enjoyed better power supply under the defunct National Electric Power Authority, NEPA, and later Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, saying “most Nigerians prefer a reversal to the NEPA days.
“The essence of privatising the sector is defeated. Nigerians are paying for power that they do not get and we cannot see any improvement in the power supply anytime soon.
“The truth is that most Nigerians believe that the privatisation of the sector was a huge mistake because it has left us worse off.
“The last few weeks have left most Nigerians questioning the rationale for privatising the power sector. Nigeria has been thrown into unending darkness in the mist of the economic hardship and worsening inflation.
“The implication is that small and medium scale businesses are closing shop because they cannot have power. Even big businesses now rely on diesel powered generators to be afloat and how much is a litre of diesel today.
“The truth is that it is not working and most Nigerians are saying that we had better power supply under NEPA and the President should please revisit the privatisation policy and reverse that policy because it has not worked and it will not work since it was done in haste.
“Even workers in the sector are agitating for a reversal because they have also not seen any tangible improvement since the sector went into private hands.”
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