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Tag: Abubakar Aliyu

  • FG insists no plan to privatize Transmission Coy of Nigeria

    FG insists no plan to privatize Transmission Coy of Nigeria

    The Minister of Power, Mr Abubakar Aliyu says there is no plan to privatise the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

    Aliyu urged members of the public to disregard statements on the issue.

    This is contained in a statement issued by Malam Isa Sanusi, the Special Assistant (Media) to the minister in Abuja on Wednesday.

    According to the minister,  the Federal Government has no plan to sell or privatise TCN and no one in the government has made a statement of an intent to sell the company.

    He said that TCN was a centrepiece in the Federal Government’s efforts to rejuvenate the power sector.

    Aliyu said that the ministry of power was working with key stakeholders to evaluate, assess and upgrade the company to make it more efficient and transparent.

    ”As part of the repositioning of TCN, job opportunities are being created, as with the recently concluded ramp up of employment, contrary to claims that there is a plan for mass disengagement of staff at the company.

    ”The organisation has also been carrying out sustained capacity building by training and retraining of staff across all cadre for efficiency and service delivery.

    ”Transmission is a vital segment of the electricity value chain that constantly needs significant investment,” he said.

    According to him, the government of Nigeria maintains the transmission segment of the power value chain even when other segments have been privatised.

    He said that currently, the Federal Government was investing and supporting efforts to make TCN a world-class transmission service provider.

    Aliyu said that the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari was focused on upgrading, stabilising and modernising Nigeria’s power industry.

    He said that these innovations were being done through various interventions, including the Nigeria-Siemens partnership under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).

  • We’ll ensure changes in DisCos don’t disrupt service – FG

    We’ll ensure changes in DisCos don’t disrupt service – FG

    The Minister of Power, Mr Abubakar Aliyu says the ministry will ensure that the changes in corporate governance do not impact on the service and stability of the  Distribution Companies (DisCos).

    Mal Isa’ Sanusi, Special Adviser  on Media to the Minister of Power,  made this known in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Sanusi said that the minister had reassured electricity consumers that the recent changes in the governance of the DisCos would not adversely impact on the ongoing reform initiatives including the National Mass Metering Programme.

    He  said that the minister had been briefed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Bureau of Public Enterprise(BPE)
    on the recent events relating to
    corporate governance in Kano, Benin, Kaduna, lbadan and Port Harcourt   DisCos.

    Sanusi said that the event had necessitated a change in the respective Board of Directors and Management of the DisCos.

    According to him, the changes announced was as a result of the receivership of the core investors in Kano, Benin, Kaduna and lbadan DisCos.

    ”Whereas the actions in Port Harcourt DisCo are sought to provide much needed liquidity and prevent the insolvency and risk of collapse of the utility in implementing the changes.

    Sanusi affirmed  that while the  Government continue to hold a 40 per cent equity stake in all the DisCos.

    “The utilities are still private sector led “going concerns” falling under the
    provisions of the COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT (CAMA) and subject to regulation by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    ”The ministry had received a confirmation from the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and the Central Bank of Nigeria that in exercising the rights of lenders to the core investors.

    ”The financial institutions do not retain the ownership of the shares and management of the DisCos in perpetuity.

    ‘It is therefore expected that clear timelines for exit of the banks would be prescribed by the regulators as and when appropriate,” he said.

    Recall that Fidelity Bank said it planned to take over the boards of Kano, Benin and Kaduna Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and to collateralize their shares.

    The Director-General of  BPE, Alex Okoh, and the Executive Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sanusi Garba said this in a joint statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    “Today, we were informed by Fidelity Bank that they have activated the call on the collateralised shares of Kano, Benin and Kaduna (Fidelity and AFREXIM) DISCOs.

    “They have also initiated action to take over the Boards of these DISCOs and exercise the rights on the shares.

  • FEC approves projects to shore up power supply

    FEC approves projects to shore up power supply

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved projects to shore up power supply across the country.

    Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, announced this after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Aliyu said that the projects were aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and shore up power supply in the country.

    “I presented two memos to council today which council has approved; the first memo council approved the award of contract for design, supply and installation of 1x60MBA, 132×33 KV transmission substation with associated 4×132 KV line bay extension at Hong Local Government in Adamawa in the sum of N6.5 billion,  consisting of two components. One is offshore and onshore.

    “ The offshore is 6.9 million dollars and the onshore is N3.3 billion at the CBN prevailing exchange rate and 7.5 per cent VAT; the delivery period is 24 months.

    “This seeks to raise the capacity of the supply around that area and it’s going to affect so many towns and villages, there’s a very important local government headquarters around that area.

    “It is going to affect Song which is a Local Government headquarters in Adamawa state;  Gombi is also another Local Government headquarters;  Garkida town and then Hong.

    “Then Mubi, Woba, Michika, Madagali. There is an existing 132 that passes through this area; so, what we’re doing now is to drop a substation there.

    “The hope is by the time all these interventions we are making on the grid, reaches up to 11,000 or there about, it will be able to withstand and take it off;  so, this is the intervention.’’

    The minister said that the second memo also was to procure power transformers and associated spare parts for TCN to be deployed to six locations.

    “One is to Aiyede in Oyo; Offshore component 1.8 billion dollars, the onshore is N98 million.

    `The second one is Gusau in Zamfara; the third one is Kankia in Katsina State; the next one is Minna, Niger; then the fifth one is to Okearo in Ogun.

    “The sixth one is in Damaturu, Yobe; this one is very peculiar because as you may be aware, for over one year, Maiduguri has not been enjoying full electricity.

    “We were able to take electricity supply through an old line of 33 KV which we repaired and restored and were able to take 10 megawatts to Maiduguri over 130 kilometers on a 33 single circuit.

    “We restored that around three to four months or thereabout; so they are enjoying but very little;  by the time the electricity reaches Maiduguri, it will drop to six or seven megawatts because of losses along the way.’’

    Aliyu said that the 330 taking power to Maiduguri was vandalised by insurgents.

    He said the ministry tried a number of times to restore it but the insurgents would go back and pull down the towers.

    “So, we now decided, in the main time to take electricity through the 33 KVA which they are enjoying but not as they may like it to be. It’s being rationed around the time.

    “So, we are currently procuring another 33 double circuit new one to Maiduguri along the same route.

    “So the idea is if someone tampers with it, it is easy to restore it within a day or two, unlike the bigger one which is the 330 which takes weeks or months to restore because it’s in the bush.

    “So, as it is now even the one that we have installed, we have been doing hide and seek, sometimes they will pull one two poles, we will repair and this is why we are doing this endeavour by the roadside; it is this to keep on restoring back.’’

    He said that at present, the contractor had returned to restore the main line, 330 that was vandalised some time back.

    The minister said that, in order to have enough electricity for Damaturu and environs from that substation in Damaturu, and take some to Maiduguri, the project would boost the capacity of Damaturu substation.

    “So, the sixth one which  is at the cost of  6.7 million dollars while the local component is N1.3 billion for  the Damaturu upgrade injection transformer.

    “So, the total approved for these is the dollar component as 22. 6 million dollars and the naira component is N5.1 billion and the council graciously approved the two memos,’’ he said.

  • Nigeria’s lowest electricity generation was 2,661.82 Mega Watts (MW)- Minister of Power

    The Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, has said the lowest electricity generation was 2,661.82 Mega Watts (MW).

     

    He explained that this was due to the partial shutdown of the Oben Gas Plant to address the repair of critical gas processing equipment.

     

    According to the Nigerian Electricity System Operator (SO) of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) System Performance of 3rd June 2022, peak generation was 3,450.60Mw.

     

    The report added that total energy generated was 3,105Mw while total energy sent out was 3,059Mw.

     

    Meanwhile, the minister, in a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mallam Isa Sanusi, said: “We wish to notify the general public that the current dip in electricity generation is a result of the partial shutdown of the Oben Gas Plant to address the repair of critical gas processing equipment.”

     

    TheNewsGuru,com (TNG) recalls that the federal government gas had earlier accused some States Governments of hampering projects that are meant to strengthen and expand the national power grid for a better supply of electricity in the country.

     

    The incident, he said, unfortunately, occurred at a time when other power plants on other gas sources are undergoing planned maintenance and capacity testing.

     

    The minister, however, noted that Seplat Energy Plc has mobilized equipment, material, and personnel to the site with a view to expediting the restoration of normal gas supply to the affected power plants.

     

    He assured the public that the repair work would be concluded this weekend and normalcy will be restored.

     

    “While pleading with electricity consumers with the current state of supply, we wish to assure the general public that efforts are being made for a sustained improvement of supply across the country,” the minister said.

     

    Consequently, energy allocation to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) was reduced from 650Mw to 228.65Mw, representing a 64.8% decrease.

     

    Its management which disclosed this in a public notice assured its customers of distributing the allocation equitably.

     

    The public notice reads in part: “We are aware that the instability of electricity supply has persisted. This is still due to the reduced load allocation to our franchise area.

     

    “AEDC’s allocation is currently 228.63Mw which is significantly lower than the average allocation of 650Mw during the optimal generation period.”

  • FG accuses States Govts of hampering projects for better supply of electricity

    FG accuses States Govts of hampering projects for better supply of electricity

    The federal government gas accused some States Governments of hampering projects that are meant to strengthen and expand the national power grid for a better supply of electricity in the country.

    The federal government wants affected States to remove the right of way barriers in order to fast-track the expansion and strengthening of the national power grid.

    This way, some of the recent disruptions to electric power supply in the country could be avoided.

    This was one of the deliberations of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting which held yesterday, where the Council was briefed on the current state of power generation in the country by the Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu.

    The Council’s 124th meeting was chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo with State Governors, Federal Ministers and other senior government officials in attendance.

    According to a statement released by Laolu Akande Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Vice President on Friday, following the meeting, the Minister of Power stressed the need for urgent attention on the issue of State Government’s approval on the Right of Way (ROW) which he disclosed has hampered billions of Naira worth transmission projects that are meant to strengthen and expand the grid for better supply of electricity in the country.

    He stated that most of these projects were delayed because of gaps in the implementation of the Right of Way resolutions that State Governments are responsible for and there are currently 32 projects across multiple States stalled or that have been unable to begin post-approval.

    Aliyu said the projects account for an investment of $137 million that the Nigerian public is unable to realise value from due to these intractable issues.

  • FG again warns DISCOS to stop selling meters

    FG again warns DISCOS to stop selling meters

    The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja cautioned Distribution Companies (DISCOS) again against selling electricity meters to customers, saying procurement of meters is free of charge.

    Minister of Power, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, gave the warning during the weekly State House ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team.

    The minister blamed those he described as `touts’ and “kabu-kabu’’ people in the power sector as responsible for the reported selling of meters to electricity customers.

    “You will always have these kinds of things – like somebody trying to short-change others; otherwise these meters are free; we said it a number of times.

    “These are tools that will generate liquidity. How can we be selling something that will bring in money?

    “It is the responsibility of the DISCOS and the government is seeing that they are not doing so.

    “So, government is stepping in and giving the DISCOS the meters to distribute for free.

    “But there’ll always be `touts’ and `kabu-kabu’ and I think it’s the touts that are doing this kind of shoddy deal,’’ he said.

    According to the minister, accelerated procurement of four million meters for the second phase of the Federal Government’s mass metering programme is on-going, with critical focus on local manufacturers.

    “Currently, close to one million meters have been rolled out under the first phase and accelerated procurement is on-going for the second phase of four million meters with critical focus on local manufacturers.

    “This is aimed at providing jobs through the programme.

    “The first phase generated 10,000 jobs in installation and assembly. We anticipate that the second phase contract will be awarded by the end of the second quarter of this year.

    “There will be a third phase that will provide additional two million meters, funded through the World Bank,” he added.

    The minister also warned that actions would be taken against underperforming DISCOs under the guidelines of the contractual agreements as the Federal Government had improved regulatory certainty.

    On erratic power supply currently being experienced in Abuja and other parts of the country, the minister said the problem was caused by low water level in the hydro power stations.

    “With the reduction in water levels at the hydro power stations during the dry season, the need for additional load to be taken up by gas plants and the challenges in repairs currently being done on generators are responsible for the load shedding and power outages,’’ he said.

    According to him, government is doing everything to ensure optimum supply of gas to ensure quick restoration of power.

    The minister, who spoke on various power initiatives by the ministry, including the Presidential Power Initiative being driven by Siemens, maintained that the issue of right of way was stalling power projects.

    “We are engaging with state governors through the Nigerian Governors Forum to drive a holistic solution to these lingering issues.

    “Critical projects held up by right of way are the Benin to Osogbo 330 KV line which is 250 kilometres long and the Ikot Ekpene to Ikot Abasi also 330 KV line, which is 68 kilometres long.

    “Another is the Kano-Katsina 330 KV line, also 180 kilometres long,’’ he said.

    According to Aliyu, the attention the power sector is receiving under the Buhari administration is unprecedented.

    “Since the inception of the present government, it has turned its attention to our infrastructure and the attention this government is giving in my own view, is unprecedented.

    “The enormity of the decay in the sector is what we are battling with to ensure we overcome challenges associated with electricity delivery in the country,’’ he stressed.

  • 3 petrol dealers face N58m fraud charge

    3 petrol dealers face N58m fraud charge

    Three petroleum products dealers who allegedly obtained the sum of N58 million from a businessman under false pretences, were on Thursday charged before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    The accused: Abubakar Adamu,40; Abubakar Aliyu, 54, and Isah Ibrahim, 34, are standing trial on a three-count charge of fraud, stealing and conspiracy.

    The accused, however, denied the charge.

    The Prosecutor, SP Eshiet Eshiet, had told the court that the accused committed the offences between March and April in Lagos.

    Eshiet said that the accused obtained the sum of N58 million from the complainant, Virginus Erims, of Virgiman Nigeria Ltd., under the guise of supplying six trucks of 50,000 litres of petrol (PMS) to him.

    He said that other products the accused promised to supply to the complainant were one truck of 50,000 litres of diesel (AGO) and one truck of 50,000 litres of kerosene (DPK).

    “The accused knew that the representation was false, therefore, stole Mr Erims’s N58 million without supplying the products which the money was meant for,” Esheit said.

    According to him, the offences contravene Sections 285, 312 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    Counsel to the accused, Mr Casmir Okoli, urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.

    The Magistrate, Mrs S.K. Matepo, admitted each of the accused to bail in the sum of N5 million, with two sureties each in like sum.

    Matepo said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused.

    She also said that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and must produce relevant documents.

    She adjourned the case until July 10, for mention.