The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has threatened non-performing distribution companies (discos) with licence revocation as Nigerians suffer power outage in the country.
According to the minister,“ It is disheartening to witness the decline in power supply despite the concerted efforts to improve the situation,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
“The Ministry has been exerting pressure on the Generating Companies (GENCOs) to enhance their performance, resulting in a recent increase in generation to over 4000MW. Despite this progress, certain distribution companies are failing to adequately distribute the power supplied by TCN, while vandalism of power infrastructure exacerbates the problem in regions such as Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan.”
As the Minister of Power, I am deeply concerned about the deteriorating electricity supply across the country. In response to this pressing issue, I have summoned the Chief Executives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.
“Moving forward, I am committed to holding all distribution companies accountable for their performance. Willful non-performance will not be tolerated, and severe consequences, including license revocation, may be imposed,”.
The minister has also directed Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to immediately commence repair works on the damaged transmission towers and power lines in order to improve supply in the affected regions.
Adelabu also summoned the Chief Executives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over the worsening power supply in their areas of coverage. He also summoned TCH Managing Director, Sule Abdulazeez, over the deteriorating power situation.
Engr. Clement Chukwukadibia Onyemelukwe initiated the planning and development of the electricity grid still used in Nigeria today when he became Chief Electrical Engineer in 1962.
Onyemelukwe is reputed as the “Father of Nigerian Electricity” and the first Nigerian to marry a peace corps volunteer ever.
Born April 1, 1933 in Nanka. He attended DMGS, a premier colonial-era boys secondary school in Onitsha, University College Ibadan for two years before he was sent by the British colonial government to Leeds University. Onyemelukwe hailed from Nanka in Anambra state.
He received his B.Sc. Engineering degree in 1956 and worked in the power sector in the United Kingdom. He acquired a second degree in Economics from London University.
He had nearly abandoned any intention of returning to Nigeria when the Electricity Corporation on Nigeria, ECN, recruited him as part of the drive to fill civil service and parastatal positions after Nigeria’s independence from Britain in 1960.
In 1961, he became deputy chief and the following year was made chief engineer, taking over from the British man who had run the operations for many years. It was on his desk that the first outline of what is now the PHCN, formerly ECN and NEPA grid was formulated. All the chief executives of NEPA, the renamed national electricity corporation, since its inception up to 2001 were his former staff.
Onyemelukwe initiated the planning and development of the electricity grid 330 KV electricity grid still used in Nigeria today when he became Chief Electrical Engineer in 1962.
Clement Onyemelukwe, Nigerian Chief Electrical Engineer of the country’s Electricity Corporation, generated international attention when he married Catherine Zastrow, a white Peace Corps volunteer, who had just completed her service in 1964. Interracial marriage was illegal in Kentucky which was still Catherine’s U.S. residence while she was in the Peace Corps.
When her parents returned to Kentucky after the wedding they had to change their phone number because of hate calls. The couple received telegrams from people all over the world, mostly supportive but a few critical. A photo of the wedding appeared in the popular Life Magazine in January 1965 and was also noted in Ebony Magazine.
“Peace Corps Worker to Wed Nigerian Engineer,” was the bold headline for a brief article in The New York Times from Lagos, Nigeria on Dec. 23, 1964. The couple “went through last-minute preparations today for their wedding Saturday at St. Saviour’s Church,” the piece said.
With the Nigerian civil war looming in 1967 Clement left ECN to take up leadership of Biafra’s Coal Corporation and electricity utility. He was also made executive chairman of the Biafra Airports Board. Late in the war he became chairman of the Panel on Post-War Reconstruction. He returned to Lagos and the Electricity Corporation after the Biafran war in January 1970. He was also the one who made sure that Planes landed and took off safely in Biafra during the war.
He left the electricity industry to found Freeman Engineering in Lagos in 1973. In 1976 he founded Colechurch International Ltd, a project management and promotion company, in United Kingdom. He and his wife Catherine moved to Westport in 1993.
He initially held a residence card, known as a “green card,” as he was spending a good part of his time in his home country Nigeria on business.
In 2007 he finally became an American citizen. He was a speaker at the Y’s Men and an active library user while working on his latest book or researching business ideas.
Engineer onyemelukwe is the owner of Colechurch of International Ltd, His son, China Danfort Onyemelukwe, one of the most prominent and important investment banker in the world.
Today, Colechurch is active in 32 countries worldwide and has head office in London and a sub-head office in the US. The group has an asset base of about $750m and annual turnover was $400m, the staff strength worldwide is 2,500 as at 2009.
Clem Onyemelukwe has an impressive and perhaps, intimidating profile. He bagged an Engineering degree in 1956, from the University of Leeds and an Economics degree of London University in 1960. He has written many books and lectured widely on the power industry, economic development and growth in the global top Universities and conferences.
He died on January 18, 2020 of Metastatic non-small cell, non-smoker’s lung cancer in his westport home in US, aged 86.
Onyemelukwe was the author of five books, namely:
“Industrial Planning and Management in Nigeria (Longmans UK) 1964;”
“Men and Management in Contemporary Africa (Longmans UK) 1973;”
“Economic Underdevelopment: An Inside View (Longmans UK) 1974;”
“Science of Economic Development and Growth: The theory of Factor Proportions (M. E. Sharpe Publishing US) 2004.”
His last book, “The Decline of the American Economy”, is due out in spring 2020.
Clem was well loved by the community at the Unitarian Church in Westport and others. His warm smile, easy laugh, and joy in recounting stories of Nigeria made him an engaging conversationalist. He loved to discuss politics and economics with any and all.
He is survived by his wife Catherine, their three children, Chinakueze, Elizabeth, and Samuel, and five grandchildren, Kenechi, Nkiru, Teya, Bruche and Ikem. His brother Prof. Geoffrey Chukwubuike Onyemelukwe, Consultant Physician and Professor of Medicine and Immunology at the Ahmed Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria, and three sisters also survive him. He was predeceased by his cousin (Most. Revd. Dr. Jonathan Arinzechukwu Onyemelukwe, former Anglican Bishop On The Niger), who died in July 2011, and one sister.
Engr. Clement Chukwukadibia Onyemelukwe was buried in the family compound in his ancestral village, Nanka in Anambra state, beside his parents in April 2020, reinforcing the saying “na isi nwa eze adịghị atọ na mba”. The son of a king’s corpse must be buried at home not in a foreign land. The End.
The first picture below is his wedding picture with Catherine Zastrow, his wife, a white woman and a former peace corps volunteer, 1964. Second picture is his family picture.
A pro-Biafran group, Biafra Defacto Customary Government, BDFCG, has expressed joy over the news that Aba residents and business units will start enjoying electricity on a 24-hour basis.
This follows the power generated by the three gas turbines already installed, and which is said to be enough for the ring-fenced area comprising 9 local government areas in Abia State.
In a statement signed by BDFCG Spokesperson Prosper Odinga, the group noted that electricity supply is an important and sensitive asset that should not be left in the hands of a businessman who has no training or experience in the power sector, regretting that from day one, it has been a mistake to allow Chief Emeka Offor-led investors access to the EEDC license.
It explained that for more than ten years, EEDC has not improved on electricity distribution, even though the power from transmission has been inadequate, but efficient service delivery was expected.
BDFCG noted that services provided by the former NEPA are better than EEDC, noting that there are several instances where people buy transformers but EEDC staffers would refuse to do the installation and refer the person to an expert that charges above N4M just to install a transformer.
It congratulated Professor Barth Nnaji for being committed throughout the turbulent lifespan of the project, and the Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Chioma Alex Otti, for all his support for the actualisation of the power project.
The group’s statement reads in full:
Biafra De Facto Customary Government congratulates Geometric Power Company and calls for the immediate termination of the EEDC license.
BDFCG has noted with great joy the news coming out from the Aba ring-fenced area that Aba residents and business units will start enjoying electricity on a 24-hour basis.
From the report given by Chinedu Asuzu of BVI Channel 1 and Charlyboy, it is now obvious that what seemed like rocket science will soon be demystified by Prof Nnaji Geometric power. The report has it that the power generated by the three gas turbines already installed is enough for the ring-fenced area, which comprises 9 local government areas in Abia State. Also, the report confirmed that Geometric distribution company has started sharing free prepaid meters in batches. At least 10,000 meters will be mounted for households and business units every month. The company targets to abolish the estimated billing system as done all over the world. Most importantly, the company has put in place a 24-hour call service center with dedicated staff, meaning that customer complaints will be promptly attended to in the most efficient manner. BDFCG believes that services will not be perfect for now as human factors must be accommodated; however, we shall be vigilant to ensure that the company succeeds. We call all Biafrans to forward any complaint to the underlisted number for follow-up with the Management of Aba Power.
BDFCG, however, congratulates Prof Barth Nnaji for being committed throughout the turbulent lifespan of the project and to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Chioma Alex Otti, for all his support.
BDFCG has noted that electricity supply is an important and sensitive asset that should not be left in the hands of a businessman who has no training or experience in the power sector. From day one, it has been a mistake to allow Chief Emeka Offor-led investors access to the EEDC license. BDFCG has noted that for more than 10 years, EEDC has not improved on electricity distribution even though the power from transmission has been inadequate, but efficient service delivery was expected. Services provided by the former NEPA are better than EEDC. There are several instances where people buy transformers but EEDC staffers would refuse to do the installation and refer the person to an expert that charges above N4M just to install a transformer. Our people have lost hope with EEDC, and people have resorted to alternatives such as Gen sets, solar, etc., to keep their businesses afloat at a very high cost. The entire southeast is too big for Chief Emeka Offor EEDC to manage. Now that electricity is in the concurrent list, BDFCG submits that the EEDC license should be revoked immediately for breach of contract. If this license is not revoked, Biafrans will be forced to approach the court.
We understand that Chief Emeka Offor has bankrolled so many of our Governors, police, judges, and in fact, Nigerian institutions; however, the power of the people is greatest and truth will destroy all evil conspiracies. Only the truth and justice will stand the test of time. Any Governor that supports this evil conspiracy against the people will become most unpopular. Light is life, and without affordable electricity, there would not be industrialization and quality jobs in Biafraland.
MTN Nigeria has said device affordability remained a significant barrier to digital inclusion in the country. It said while the cost of smartphones has decreased globally, the upfront cost remains a hurdle for many Nigerians.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, however, restated the telco’s commitment to make smartphone affordable to Nigerians so as to deepen digital inclusion in the country. He highlighted the challenges and opportunities in the local market and outlined MTN’s strategies to promote digital inclusion. Toriola also highlighted the potential of local assembly and financing schemes to further reduce the cost of smartphones.
“Local assembly does a number of things. First of all, it can bring down the cost of production, it eliminates custom duties and then you talk about financing handsets and for that financing ecosystem to work you need to have aggregate credit scoring history to know who to loan to, recovery capabilities etcetera etcetera,” he said in a Tv interview monitored in Lagos.
He said MTN is partnering several companies in Africa to develop the device financing ecosystem, stressing that this approach, combined with mobile money and credit scoring, can make smartphones more affordable for Nigerians.
MTN’s partnership with Intelligra, an open platform for smartphone financing, is a key part of MTN’s strategy to make smartphones more affordable to the average Nigerian.
Members of Edo Assembly have served Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, an impeachment notice.
Shaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives, ex-Majority Leader of Edo Assembly and former President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), was given seven days to respond to allegations levelled against him.
Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki and Shaibu, both chieftains of the governing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo, are at loggerheads over the authentic governorship candidate of PDP in Edo.
Obaseki is fully backing a Lagos-based lawyer, Asue Ighodalo, who emerged as the party’s standard bearer of the governorship indirect primary election at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin.
Shaibu emerged factional candidate at a parallel primary at his official residence on Commercial Avenue in Benin.
In continuation of measures to address the food inflation and cost of living crisis, the Federal Government Tuesday said it had so far intercepted 141 trucks attempting to smuggle grains and other staples to Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, said that the service had within two weeks arrested about 120 trucks smuggling food items from Nigeria while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stopped 21 food trucks from leaving the country on Tuesday.
As the CG was disclosing the measures being enforced to ensure food security at the House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday, truck drivers, who have been targets of attacks by hoodlums, had threatened to declare a strike if the situation persisted.
Several trucks and warehouses, mostly owned by manufacturers and other members of the organized private sector have come under attack from hoodlums as the food inflation and the cost of living crisis in the country spiraled. Last week, some youths stole food items from trucks stuck in traffic along the Kaduna Road in the Suleja area of Niger State.
On Sunday, hoodlums attacked a warehouse belonging to the Agricultural and Rural Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration located in the Dei-Dei area of the capital city where they looted rice, grains, and other relief items. The miscreants in their numbers also stormed another warehouse in the Idu Industrial Estate, Jabi, Abuja, but were repelled by the troops guarding the facility.
Similarly, another set of youths attacked trucks conveying building materials and spaghetti in Ogun and Kaduna states on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Worried by the unsavory development, the organized private sector warned the attacks could lead to a shutdown of industries across the country. Briefing the federal lawmakers on the enforcement of the Presidential directive to curtail food smuggling during the sectoral debate series, the Customs CG, Adeniyi, said President Bola Tinubu had given a directive that the arrested trucks be diverted to the local markets in the area where they were arrested to force down the prices of grains and other food items.
120 food trucks
“We arrested in two weeks about 120 trucks of food items going out of the country. These are the food items Mr President has asked us to give back to the local markets where the arrests were made. We believe this will drive down the price of food items in these places,” he added.
He stated that the decision to halt the smuggling of food items was to fight hunger and not encourage those who wanted to enrich themselves at the expense of the people. He warned against adopting quick-fix solutions to address the food scarcity in the country, adding that the country must put in place long-term measures to address the situation.
Adeniyi explained that the Customs were playing their part in ensuring that the problem of food security was addressed, adding that currently, most agriculture inputs attract zero duty and the value-added tax.
The CG noted that the need to learn from lessons learnt while auctioning seized food items in Lagos was the reason the service was ha to commence the program outside Lagos State.
About seven persons died in a stampede at the NCS Old Zonal Headquarters in the Yaba area of Lagos State during the auction of bags of rice confiscated from smugglers by the NCS last month. The incident forced the authorities to suspend the exercise.
Bringing the lawmakers up to speed on the public auction, Adeniyi said President Tinubu directed the NCS to auction to vulnerable Nigerians the food items intercepted at the Nigerian borders, noting that the implementation of the programme kicked off in Lagos, but was stopped. Adeniyi further said the seized foodstuffs were to be sold to the local markets nationwide on the President’s orders.
He said, “Mr President has directed that we sell directly to needy Nigerians food items produced locally but which were seized. This is one of the ways to address hunger and food scarcity we are facing. We have started this in Lagos.
Personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy have killed five fighters of the Indigenous People of Biafra during a gun battle that occurred at Ejemekuru in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State. The encounter with IPOB’s fighters is coming a few days after a fierce gun duel between the troops and IPOB fighters occurred in the Orsu LG of the state.
The troops killed an IPOB fighter in the operation and recovered three Improvised Explosive Devices, one Toyota Highlander SUV, one Hilux vehicle, eight rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, among others from their hideouts.
As contained in a statement issued by the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu on Wednesday, the troops, during the combined operations, recovered one AK-47 rifle and two pump-action Semi-automatic rifles, among others.
The statement read, “In a successful raid operation conducted into identified IPOB/ESN camps on Tuesday 5 March 2024, combined Nigerian Army and Nigerian Navy troops have neutralised five armed fighters in a firefight that ensued at Ejemekuru in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
“On overpowering the Armed separatists’ resistance with overwhelming firepower, the gallant troops recovered a significant cache of dangerous weapons including one AK-47 rifle, 2 Pump-action Semi-automatic rifles, one locally fabricated gun, 2 magazines, and 3 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition. The troops also recovered 2 motorbikes, 2 mobile handsets, and a Camouflage jungle hat.”
Onyema also said that 15 kidnapped victims in counter-insurgency operations conducted in the North West were rescued.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has said that Nigeria records more road crashes than other countries. Adejobi noted that the avoidable road accidents in Nigeria actually kill more innocent citizens than insecurity based on the records available to the police.
The FPRO stated this on Wednesday while responding to an X user who told him to tell the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, who was attending the World Police Summit in Dubai, UAE, to observe the organization of police stations in Dubai and the absence of accidents and seized vehicles.
In his response, Adejobi wrote, “Stations littered with accident(ed) and sized vehicles are not the fault of the police. It’s a legal matter and, in most cases, reckless nature of some Nigerian drivers.
“In Dubai, they are not reckless on the road, and you can’t drive in Dubai without being certified and licensed. This is common in Nigeria.
“The citizens comply and respect the law in Dubai. Many of us in Nigeria deliberately disregard and disobey the law.
“They don’t record many road crashes as we do here and be guided that the police can’t dispose of these vehicles without a court order. The process is cumbersome.
“Note again that the rate at which we kill ourselves through road crashes is alarming. I know, and based on records we keep, that road crashes claim more lives of innocent Nigerians than the acclaimed insecurity sagas in the country.”
The FPRO added that he will later release statistics that reveal the rate at which Nigerians die in road crashes. He wrote, “I will soon release the figures, and you can see how we lose innocent Nigerians to road crashes.
“Road crashes happen everywhere, but we record avoidable crashes in Nigeria more than any other country because we are often reckless on the road, we drive without licenses and deliberately violate traffic laws.
“I lost 2 people to a reckless crash in a day. My dad and his olori. Just because a commercial car drove against the traffic along Ibadan/Ife road, at Gbongan Junction, in Osun State. And many have various experiences. We need to think and campaign against reckless driving and crashes in Nigeria.”
The PUNCH reports that not less than 12 persons died, while 28 others suffered varying degrees of injuries in a road crash that occurred on Monday along the Zaria-Kano Expressway.
United Nations has decried illegal trade in wildlife and forest product, insisting that low enlightenment, weak legislation and implementation among other gaps continued to impede effective prosecutions of offenders.
Speaking at this year’s commemoration of the World Wildlife Day (WWD), themed: “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Conservation”, in Abuja on Tuesday, the Country Representative, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Oliver Stolpe, where a presentation of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime, (ICCWC), Toolkit Report for Nigeria in collaboration with the UNODC and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, (FAO) was made.
He said: “While thanks to the good work of the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS), seizures at Nigeria’s land, sea and airport border points have been on the rise, two thirds of all seizures involving Nigeria were reported by the authorities of other countries.
“This suggests that interception capabilities still need to be strengthened, while enhanced information exchange and cooperation with relevant authorities in countries of origin, transit and destination offer opportunities for intelligence led operations and parallel or even joint investigations with the objective of detecting and dismantling trafficking networks.”
He added that the 2023 UNODC Organized Crime Threat Assessment for Nigeria revealed that “Nigeria is a key transit hub and consolidation point for various forms of illegal trade in wildlife and forest products, especially for pangolin, ivory and rosewood.
“These products are sourced both from Nigeria as well as from other countries in the region including Cameroon, Gabon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire and Benin Republic.”
He added that: “According to UNODC’s World Wildlife Seizures Database, there are more than a 1000 records between 2011 and 2020 which indicate Nigeria as a source, transit or destination country, or where the offender was a Nigerian national.”
Stolpe noted that “Another finding of the research suggests that armed groups are increasingly involved in the illegal harvesting and trafficking of rosewood, with nine park rangers losing their lives in violent encounters with persons involved in illegal logging in the Gashaka-Gumti National Park. in general, it appears that illegal logging activities continue, despite the 2018 trade suspension of rosewood from Nigeria.”
The UN body called on religious and traditional leaders to partner with the government in enlightening Nigerians on the importance of preserving and protecting Nigeria’s rich biodiversity.
In commemoration of the World Wildlife Day celebration, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has emphasized the importance of digital innovation in conserving biodiversity and protecting wildlife.
Abbas who made the disclosure today in Abuja, with the theme ”Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Conservation,” highlighted the significant role of technology in safeguarding the planet’s extraordinary biodiversity.
According to him, there is need to leverage technological advancements to combat illegal wildlife trade, mitigate habitat loss, and address the impacts of climate change.
Also the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO Country Team Leader, Dr. Otto Muhinda, emphasized the importance of recognizing emerging and reemerging diseases, as they pose a significant threat to global health.
He underscored the need for coordinated efforts to prevent outbreaks and mentioned the collaborative initiatives undertaken by global organizations such as the FAO and the United Nations Environment Program.
Drawing attention to Nigeria’s own challenges, Dr. Muhinda cited examples of zoonotic diseases prevalent in the country, including Lassa fever and anthrax. He emphasized that wildlife serves as a reservoir for many of these diseases, with 60% of zoonotic diseases originating from animals.
He emphasized the need to balance conservation efforts with preserving human health, particularly in communities that rely on wildlife as a source of food.
While acknowledging the focus of this year’s theme on digital innovation in conservation, Dr. Muhinda emphasized the importance of understanding the link between wildlife conservation and disease prevention. He stressed the need for data-driven approaches to identify and address diseases present in wildlife to safeguard human health effectively
Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, on his part, said that digital tools empowers individuals to better understand, protect, and preserve our wildlife.
According to him, “From cutting-edge monitoring systems to innovative data analytics, digital conservation transcends geographical boundaries, fostering global collaboration and knowledge sharing among scientists, conservationists, and communities worldwide.
“By harnessing the collective power of technology, we can unite in our efforts to safeguard biodiversity and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.”
The Conservator General, National Parks Services, Ibrahim Goni, while stressing the importance of protecting wildlife and forest resources, explained that: “Some of our protected and conserved areas that houses a wide array of these unique wildlife resources are battling with insecurity challenges such as banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other crime and criminality, as well as various anti-conservation activities including habitat destruction through illegal logging, hunting, communal agitation and quests for more farmlands, and of recent, illegal mining and exploration.
“Faced with this seeming ecological dislocation and its attendant toll they impinge on wildlife resources. This day will therefore remind us of the urgent need to scale up the fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts.”
Alex Otti has concluded arrangement to build a modern textile market in Aba with 24 hrs supply of electricity and free internet services. This is the kind of project I expected from visionary Governor .
Road construction is good but must come with other economic enablers that will be funded by the State as Government has enormous capacity to organize factors of production. Things like law and order, high wage to increase purchasing power , low cost housing for low income earners , modern market , modern abattoir, modern mechanic village , modern computer village ,modern farm settlements,a modern new city etc.
When a Governor has secured the confidence of his people ,put his plans in 3 D drawing , his people will contribute trillions of naira and hard currencies to fund any project. Some of these Governors are empty ,and visionless.
Gov Alex Otti is really working . I just came back from Enyimba city to see things by myself.
