The Senate on Thursday set up a 13-member Ad-Hoc
Committee to carry out a comprehensive
investigation into the management of funds so far
appropriated for the power sector since 1999.

The Committee, headed by Senator Abubakar Kyari,
was also given the task of probing the unbundling of
the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria by
the Federal Government.

The Upper Chamber took the decision while passing
a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Ali
Ndume, seeking the immediate reconnection of some
parts of Borno State back to the national grid in view
of the challenges the blackout was posing to his
constituents.

The Senate urged the Federal Government to
complete the Mambilla Power Project with the aim of
improving electricity supply in the country.

It also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to
direct the Transmission Company of Nigeria to
immediately reconnect Maiduguri to the national
grid.
It also directed the committee to conclude its
investigations and report to the Senate within two
weeks.

The senators, while contributing to the debate, also
condemned the inability of the TCN to provide
uninterrupted power supply to all parts of the
country.

Ndume had expressed concern that Nigeria, with a
population of over 150 million, produced only 4,600
megawatts, while South Africa with a population of
about 40 million people produced 40,000 megawatts.

He observed that the disconnection of Maiduguri ,
the Borno State capital, from the national grid, as
well as the degeneration of power supply across the
country had affected the economy negatively.

Ndume also expressed concern that with an installed
power generation potential of about 5,000
megawatts, the output distributed currently was
about 1,950 megawatts.

He added that it was disheartening to note that Iran
with over 77 million people “generates about 42,000
megawatts, while South Korea with over 49 million
people generates about 60,000 megawatts of
electricity.”

Ndume, who said that Maiduguri and its environs
had been completely disconnected since the
emergence of insurgency, complained that the
situation had grounded economic activities in the
state.
He said, “I buy diesel to run my generator and that
costs me N10, 000 per day. No country can be said to
be near development when there is no power.

“This Senate needs to investigate this to give the
government support. For some years now, a lot of
money has been spent but there is nothing to show
for it.”
Senator Danjuma Goje in his contribution said that
the motion was apt in view of the untold suffering
that lack of power supply had caused Nigerians.

Senator Godswill Akpabio lamented that many
companies had shut down operation due to irregular
power supply in the country.

He lamented that in spite of the financial contribution
by some states in the South to improve power
supply, Nigerians were still grappling with lack of
electricity supply.

He said, “In 2015, we are celebrating 4,000
megawatts, for me this is worrisome. We cannot
have employment without power and Nigerians are
complaining about the high cost and some localities
which have not seen light for months are asked to
pay high tariff.”

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, noted that the
inadequate power supply in the country was a cause
for concern, saying it had affected the economic
growth of the nation.

He observed that the lack of power supply had
plunged the country into further hardship, besides
corruption.

He said, “We thought that with the Power Reform Act
and the unbundling of the Power Holding Company
of Nigeria, we will begin to see improvement with
regard to power supply; unfortunately, it is not so.

“The Ad Hoc Committee that we set up should look at
the activities of the Discos and what is preventing
Nigerians from benefitting from the unbundling of
the PHCN.”