Nigeria is in the middle of power sector transformation which will unequivocally herald much awaited small and medium scale enterprises which will in turn drive the economy, induce reduction in unemployment and ultimately lead to Nigeria’s industrialization. Constant power supply has been central to the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan as well as genuine desire of all Nigerians who are lovers of better Nigeria. Power sector since after its privatization is experiencing a lethargic and turbulent start as expected in privatization process but many Nigerians are worried that power sector’s privatization dividend is taking long to come. The investors in power sector are also complaining among other things, intentional and unintentional busting of gas pipelines supplying industrial gas to power plants. Another factor militating against smooth take off of power sector’s privatization is interest of some avaricious owners.
Recently, a press release and hollow and calumnious articles of paid writers from Geometric Power Ltd flooded both print and electronic media alleging grand conspiracy by influential Nigerians both in government and in private sector to stop them from taking up Aba ring electricity generation and distribution due to corruption. In their denial article, they made reference to Enugu Electric Distribution Company (EEDC) which the Interstate Electrics acquired that includes the Aba ring fence distribution to be in error. The matter as they claimed in their write up is being resolved by the number one and two citizens of Nigeria along side other stake holders in the power sector including minister of power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo. If that is the case, why run to media claiming and disclaiming statements made by their spurious writers.
Holding town hall meeting is one of the purest of ways to penetrating residents of cities, communities and villages. But the motive of its agenda is what we all should be careful of as wrong motive could be detrimental to the health, progress and civility of a modern society. Geometric Power Ltd held a town hall meeting of recent where they blamed owners of Enugu Electric Distribution Company (EEDC), Interstate Electrics for their “woes”, and alleged corruption within their rank and file. Enugu Electrics Distribution Company (EEDC) was sold to Interstate Electrics Ltd to cover the whole of South Eastern states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi Enugu and Imo states without exception or recognition of any city or community as a ring fenced city or community. If there were agreements between the management of Geometric Power which former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji is the chairman and federal government on Aba electric distribution, it may have been influenced by Prof. Barth Nnaji while in office as minister because the issue was not mentioned during the unbundling process of former PHCN. Geometric Power Ltd should be ashamed of their degrading method of forcing their acquisitiveness on South Eastern people in general and Aba residents in particular. How can prof. Nnaji and his Geometric Power team be desecrating the office of Vice president of Nigeria in their onslaught of character assassination driven by greed, pettiness, frustration, and lack of focus.
An extract from Geometric Power Ltd press release says and I quote “. An error occurred when the Aba ring fence was purportedly sold during the privatization exercise as part of the territory of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, thus ignoring some key terms of the extant Lease Agreement between the Federal Government and its agencies, on the one hand, and Aba Power Ltd. and Geometric Power Ltd, on the other hand. The buyer has vehemently opposed Geometric Power’s distribution of power to the ring-fenced Aba metropolis from its 141 Megawatt plant located in the city”. When the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) was selling EEDC to Interstate Electrics Ltd, they collected charges from them which covered the whole South Eastern cities, towns and villages and it was paid in full. Interstate is a distribution company while Geometric power is known to operate in generation capacity which clearly leaves one to wonder what could be causing this issue if one is not trying to cross to the territorial operations of the other. Our people of South East need an increased supply of electricity to fire up the already dampened spirit of entrepreneurship and the last thing they want to hear is the story of snake trying to swallow another snake to enable it grow.
Geometric Power Ltd also raised the issue of the matter being under legal contest and I quote, “Unfortunately given the ongoing legal process on this issue, the Geometric Power team are barred from discussing the issue with the media, hence without the benefit of our contribution, the story by the Businessday reportorial team has given the erroneous impression that the Government officials are against Geometric Power”. The truth of the matter is nobody is against Geometric Power Ltd, their problem is trying to reap where they did not sow. Having said that the issue is already under legal scrutiny and should not be discussing it with the media, what will they call the town hall meetings they have been holding with media coverage and series of press releases they have embarked upon to whipping up media and public sympathy and casting themselves as the victim whereas it is the other way round? What will they call the activities of their writers who are reigning abuses on the office of both President and his vice, and that of NERC and BPE chairmen blaming them of whatever they think is problem of Geometric Power Ltd. Alleging that Sir Emeka Offor, a foremost businessman and entrepreneur, an Internationally renowned Philanthropist, a promoter of peace, literacy and scientific research, the first Ambassador for global health initiatives on Polio eradication in black world has in connivance with the presidency to slay Geometric Power Ltd is a heavy accusation on the shoulders of Geometric Power to prove. I believe they understand the implication of crossing red line by accusing the vice president of complicity in the sale of PHCN.
This campaign has to stop and Prof. Barth Nnaji and his Geometric Power Ltd should be aware that with their continuous and latest actions of constituting nuisance by trying to dabble into part of territories sold to Interstate Electrics Ltd to distribute power has further justified the decision of president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to drive him out of his cabinet as he is a heavy interested party in power sector. President Goodluck is a man known to fall for superior argument thus his decision to sack Prof. Nnaji and now, we can see the manifestation of what could have jeopardize the neutrality of the government in the privatization process. Let every operator in power sector maintain their core investment area and avoid creating bubbles for media to burst.
Written By Obi Ebuka Onochie
mac_godson@yahoo.com
