"How corruption and impunity Curtails advancement"

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“How corruption and impunity Curtails advancement”

People don’t even realize again that they’re suffering. They even believe that to live this way is the way to live life.

From decades to generation, the tale of power generation in Nigeria have remained the same. That of woe, stories, excuses and suggestions that never benefited anyone apart from the influencers. Sincere I came into this planet from where I don’t know, the story and name of the firm generating electricity in this country has remained the same too NEPA( national electric power authorities) the services they lender is not what you like to take in your mouth that’s if your mouth is holy or anything near it. It’s synonym of failure and poverty. Ineptitude made them so famous that it’s the first thing new born learns how to pronounce before their Mama’s name.

One funny thing is that they know of their ineptitude and in Nigeria characteristics way, they kept proffering one nonsense suggestions and solutions to the other.

The wise among them and educated ones among us after putting their knowledge into solving the problem suggested that the fault was in the name. That once the name is changed, that their ineptitude would changed with it. So, in comes PHCN( power holding company of Nigeria) after months, things got worse, they decided to market to foreigners for they believed that the problem must be half education of the masses with high sounding titles.

Masses started screaming on top of their voice. The leaders decided that our educated must be respected for thinking that they knew nothing amounts to colonial mentality. The request for their help again once more, they again assured the government that the problems are with the name. Change the name and see magic happen, they advised. The name was once again changed to Discos, I assure you if you have been away or foreigner, that name has nothing to do with music or electric dance or break dance, it’s only function and mandate was electricity distribution. They were to provide light to millions of Nigerians and that was what they found difficult to do despite billions of dollars being wasted in each change of name phase each administration embarks.

Then enter another set of influencers, they penetrated the government when nothing was happening from Disco end and suggested prepaid meter. They claimed that the masses were wasting currents and that prepaid meters would not Curtails that but also educate and enlightened the people. If their pockets are hit twice, they would not only learn how to switch off lights but how to save money too. Also Rock was highly impressed, they said that the professors were optimum of Nigerian education. This is killing million birds with one stone they said. Prepaid meters were introduced and billions shared to the brilliant professors to implement their ideas and they did. Situations remained unchanged. Suddenly, they noticed that it was not the issue of current wastage, for one can’t waste what don’t exist, but lack of the current in the first place. How can masses waste what don’t exist.

In walks another influencers, they claimed that the problem is that of overload. They said that works load is too heavy for one company to over see alone. They suggested that in order to lay to rest the problems associated with electricity in this wonderful country, one company has to generate the current and another distribute the current. That was how Gencos and Discos came to be and Gencos will generate power and Discos distribute the power. Both were to report to one master NERC( Nigerian electricity regulatory commission).

Years now into generating and distributing division, the story remained the same. No LIGHTS. None of the educated and influencers ever suggested that they problem was that of corruption, God forbids, were are responsible people, educated and God fearing. Do you know how blood that have been spilled in this country in the name of God?, No, it can’t be corruption. Your reasoning is not sound. You’re illiterate.

They never also believed that the name changes and divisions into millions were to satisfy the big men that had interest in the sector. From the managers to national assembly to presidency etc. They found it difficult to share the corrupt money from there silently and when they quarrelling gets to the ears of the public, they change name to rechannel people’s interest into other things.

According to Peter Bergen, incompetence is a better explanation than conspiracy in most human activities. But when incompetence, conspiracy tribalism and wickedness combined together, what would the explanation be?.

My Electric bill slip had village address on it, whenever I want to use it for official thing, I am always asked to change the address, so I went to NEPA office to change the address.

The ladies there asked me to provide this and that, I did. Infact I went home to get all those things they requested wrote and typed the letters as they directed. A month later, nothing was happened. I went back to know why. Could you believe that they have done nothing at all towards that end. Put it in their locker and forgot it there. I was told that it will be ready next month. Making it two months for a day work. I agreed and went home waiting for next month like they said.

I was in my house one day, minding my business when they called, I picked and it was another voice from there telling on the phone that it was that day that she was given the application that I should provide my slip and get another from someone living in our building. That it’s protocol. If you don’t provide them, we will attend to your file. She was threatening me somehow.

Situation where no one had his slip, what would I do. When they recharge their meters, they throw away the slip. Where will get the one I will give them. Almost 40 percent of the population is suffering from hard of hearing due to thousands of cheap generators imported into this country from far East. Every evening, you can hear anything being said to you without shouting or straining your ears to hear.

No one pays attention. Not only incompetence but wickedness also. As write this, there was no light and the generators noises makes concentration almost near impossible.

They don’t need slip to change the address if not, how come it took them two months to remember suddenly that slip of other people were needed. They were trying their luck to know how desperate I am and then lay their request on the table.

“What I fear most is power with impunity, I fear abuse of power and power to abuse.” ---- Isabel Allende.

When there’s no genuine check and balances in anything, organizations, family, human dealings etc. The results is always what’s happening in Nigerian power sector. Failure, impunity, wickedness, excuses.

Wrong diagnoses,

Wrong solution being applied

No effort from the staffs

No advancement

Spill over of one sector incompetence into other sectors.

Many companies have relocated to our neighbouring nation’s due to lack of power supply.