Commercial concerns and individuals in two of Nigeria’s largest commercial cities, Lagos and Aba, have heaved a sigh of relief following the restoration yesterday of electric power to two electricity distribution firms in their places by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).
The NDPHC, set up by the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration as an intervention agency to grapple with the fast deteriorating power sector, ceased on Sunday to supply electricity to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (DisCo) in Lagos and Aba Power DisCo, Nigeria’s newest electricity distribution firm which serves nine of the 17 local government areas in Abia State, over some issues with natural gas producers and suppliers like Shell and ExxonMobil as well as local petroleum firms.
A source at the National Control Centre (NCC) at Oshogbo in Osun State, who pleaded that he remain anonymous because he is not authorised to speak to the media, told journalists that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) was directed yesterday to resume supplies to both Aba Power and Eko Disco and it complied immediately.
Stakeholders in both Lagos and Aba have confirmed the restoration of power to the two places.
“We are delighted to receive supplies once again from Eko DisCo”, Ayo John Balogun, the chief executive of a manufacturing firm in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State, told newsmen this morning.
“Self-generation is exceedingly expensive for manufacturers like us who use big power generating machines like the Caterpillar brand from the United States which consumes large volumes of automative gas oil (AGO) popularly known as diesel”.
Chief Alphonsus Udeigbo, president general of the 22,000-strong Aba Landlords Protection and Development Association (ALPDA), told journalists that Aba Power restored power to the foremost industrial city in the Southeast yesterday the moment the NDPHC restarted supplies.
“Industrialists, hoteliers, hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies, markets, security agencies and individuals are always relieved to receive public power supply”, Chief Udeigbo said, “because electricity self-generation is very expensive, in addition to being a noise polluter.
“It also causes the emission of carbon monoxide which pollutes the environment, and there are many reported instances of whole families wiped out in their sleep as a result of inhaling carbon monoxide from generators”.
Meanwhile, Aba Power Managing Director Patrick Umeh has commended the NDPHC for the “infectious dedication of its leadership and staff which made it possible for supplies to be restored within 48 hours, despite the enormity of the challenges facing them, including a tough operating environment.
“The NDPHC ledership and staff recognise the criticality of their organisation to Nigeria’s economic, social and even political development, and so work with great zeal and competence to the benefit and admiration of the Nigerian businesses and people”.