Politics
PETER Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate has expressed deep concern over the recent collapse of Nigeria’s national power grid, which has once again left large parts of the country in darkness.
The grid reportedly failed on Monday evening at around 6:18 pm, causing widespread power outages.
Investigations revealed that electricity generation, which stood at 3.87 gigawatts by 5 pm, dropped to 3.56GW at 6 pm, and eventually plummeted to 0.00GW by 7 pm, continuing into the night.
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) confirmed the grid collapse in a statement released later that same evening.
Reacting to the incident, Peter Obi, in a statement on Tuesday via X, condemned the development, calling it a national embarrassment.
He further pointed to the grid failure as a clear sign of poor leadership and inadequate policy execution at the highest levels of government.
“For the umpteenth time, the national grid has collapsed, plunging a huge part of the nation into darkness and exposing the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
“This recurring disaster is a national shame and a glaring testament to the failure of leadership and policy implementation at the highest levels.,” Obi stated.
For the umpteenth time, the national grid has collapsed, plunging a huge part of the nation into darkness and exposing the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
This recurring disaster is a national shame and a glaring testament to the failure of leadership and policy…— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) October 15, 2024
He emphasised that the repeated failures of the power system are major obstacle to the nation’s growth and economic stability.
He said, “How long must Nigerians endure a system that fails to provide one of the critical necessities for a productive society?
“This latest power grid collapse is emblematic of a leadership and government that have consistently failed to prioritise the welfare and economic well-being of the people.
“We all know the immense importance of power supply to the transformation of our economy. Its support to SMEs, which are the engine of job creation and a major contributor to our GDP, is immeasurable.”
He argued that the lack of consistent power hinders the productivity and growth potential of Nigerian businesses.
Obi also criticised the disparity between Nigeria’s power generation capacity and that of other African nations.
Obi highlighted the differences between Nigeria and economies like South Africa, Egypt, and Algeria.
“Today, we are the fourth largest economy in Africa, having fallen from the number one position due to leadership failure over the years, including the persistent power crisis.
“The disparity in power generation is a reflection of the deep-rooted governance deficit that continues to hold back our growth and potential,” Obi added, stressing that Nigeria, despite its larger population, generates significantly less electricity compared to smaller economies.
Obi called for urgent, comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s power sector and urged the government to focus on initiatives that can drive measurable development.
“Nigerians deserve a government that prioritises measurable indices of development,” he added. – vanguard
A.I
Oct. 15, 2024
Tags: Peter Obi
