Danjuma Goje, senator representing Gombe central, says Nigeria should allow China or another advanced country to manage the nation’s power sector for 20 years to achieve a stable electricity supply.
Goje, a former minister of power and steel, spoke on
Wednesday during the senate screening of Joseph Tegbe, minister-designate for
power.
Goje said Nigeria should consider a wholesale agreement
covering generation, transmission, and distribution instead of fragmented
reforms in the sector.
“The best thing to do, in my opinion and in the opinion of
some others, is to swallow our pride, call on one of the major successful
advanced countries, preferably China, because of their cost of labour is
generally is low,” he said.
“Give them this project of power in Nigeria: ‘Run it for 20
years, Give us stable power. Get your money back and move out’.”
Goje said stable electricity supply would unlock development
across all sectors of the economy.
“And within these 20 years, we’ll have stable power. And you
know the meaning of stable power is it means real development. All other areas
will work perfectly. And we’ll get it right,” he said.
The senator criticised piecemeal reforms in the sector,
citing the Siemens power project as an example.
“But when you go to Siemens, Siemens will take one section
of the power sector and ‘we’ll do something about transmission’,” he said.
“By the time they finish transmission, the problem will
erupt in the generation. Then they’ll go to generation. After generation, the
problem will erupt in distribution.”
Goje said distribution companies were failing to provide
basic infrastructure such as transformers.
“These days, even transformers are not provided by the
distribution companies,” he said.
The lawmaker urged Tegbe to consider negotiating a
comprehensive arrangement with China or another country to overhaul the sector.
“So, Mr. nominee, when you’re appointed, and you go to the
Ministry of Power, I want you to ponder over this idea of wholesale getting
into agreement with China or with any other country, preferably China,” he
said.
“Come and have a look at our power sector wholesale —
generation, transmission, distribution, and see how we can get it right at
least for the next 20 years, so Nigeria will now develop and catch up with
other countries.”
Goje said the arrangement would not amount to debt
accumulation because the foreign partner would operate the sector, recover its
investment, and exit.
“And whatever the cost is, I think it is worth doing it,” he
said.
“We are already used to taking debts. This is not debt. They
will run the business, make their money, and leave us with a stable light.
“I want you to ponder about this. Maybe like I said, it’s a
crude idea, but I believe it is workable.”
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