SOUTH South Youth Consultative, Enlightenment and Mobilisation Council, SSYCEMOC, has called for a review of the privatisation of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. The group said only a review of the privatisation would save the nation from poor and epileptic power supply.

Chris Nnodim, national director of publicity of the group, in a statement, said private investors that bought over PHCN assets have not proven that they have the capacity to meet the needs of the people.

He regretted that instead of bringing in more investors, the power situation is scaring off investors, and urged the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Privatisation to cast another look at the privatisation exercise in the power sector.

“Four years after that privatisation, we are yet to see improved power supply, we are yet to see improved infrastructure, so what has satisfied the privatisation exercise? I think that exercise should be reviewed.”

The youth group called on the Federal Government to withdraw the licence of any power-distribution company that lacked the capacity to meet standards in the interest of Nigeria and the local industries. Nnodim noted that the development of the nation depended on local industries and called on the government to make policies that could drive the economy through small-scale industries.

He blamed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, for failing to protect the interest of the masses, which are forced to pay for services not rendered by the electricity distribution companies. He challenge NERC to justify its existence by making sure that there was standard, stressing that one sure way of maintaining standard was by ensuring that consumers were metered across the nation.

—  Jun 26, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT