The Multi-billion Naira Enlightenment – Frank Ofili

Much of the debt owed electricity distribution companies are by government ministries, departments and agencies at Federal and state levels.

University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan alone owe Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company over N400 million – a situation that has warranted its power supply line being cut off by the distribution company after several failed attempts to make the teaching Hospital pay up.

As I write, UCH has been without public power supply for the past 82 days. I shudder to think of what has become the condition of its morgue.

Meanwhile, I hear that the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has asked that N8 billion be appropriated to his ministry to use to enlighten Nigerians on the need to pay their electricity bills promptly. Adelabu’s ministry is one of government bodies owing Discos.

I have heard many a hubris, but this one takes the cake. So Adelabu wants government to give him N8 billion to use to enlighten his own ministry, other government ministries, departments and agencies, including UCH, and of course, other debtor-Nigerians on the need to pay their bills.

Wonderdul! You would think that Nigerians are illiterates. Perhaps when Niger, Ghana and other neighbouring countries to whom Nigeria supply power, start owing us, Adelabu would ask that money be appropriated to him to use to enlighten them on the need for them to pay up.

But if this is an anomaly, the idea that an inefficient private sector enterprise, funded by government to buy off its legacy enterprise, and still being subsidized by government to keep it afloat, will now require government to do, and underwrite what it ought to be doing, is the greatest form of fraud being committed on Nigerians.