controlled Federal Government of not demonstrating the right capacity to bring about improvement in power generation in the country.
The party said energy efficiency and renewable sources of power are not being deployed effectively to supply power to the people just as it is done in other parts of the world.
In a statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of ANPP, Chief Emma Eneukwu, the party said officially, Nigeria’s power generation has dropped from its December 2012 figure of 4,502 megawatts to 4,286 megawatts, though there are suggestions from various informed quarters that the actual generation is 3,700megawatts.
The party recalled that in 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan launched the Power Road Map which contained policies and institutional reforms.
It said the president promised to implement a super transmission network, generate additional 5,000 megawatts through the international oil companies, and active exploitation of hydro, nuclear and coal power, privatisation of the power sector and an addition of 4, 775 mega watts from the Independent Power Plants (IPPs).
"He promised Nigerians that they should expect 14,000 megawatts power generation at the end of 2013. We are now almost ending the first quarter of 2013 and Nigeria cannot boast of 4,000 watts anymore," he said.
However, the ANPP regretted that none of these promieses including the unbundling of the PHCN and the implementation of the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO 2) have not resulted into improved power supply, "rather it is squeezing out more electricity tariff from the hapless citizens."
"What the PDP government has done is to hastily postpone the Power Road Map.
"In the policy somersault, the projections for the use of the various fuel and energy sources have now been conveniently shifted to 2016, so that Nigerians will not hold them accountable at the end of this tenure in 2015.
"Meanwhile our economy is bleeding heavily from the monies spent on alternative power supply. Good Governance Initiative in its 2013 report stated that N3.5 trillion is spent by Small and Medium Enterprises, manufacturers and families to generate electricity for private consumption; while the bills incurred by government institutions and establishments also run into trillions of naira, " it said.
The party said couple of days ago, a press statement was released from the office of the Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP), wherein the spokeswoman for the Task Force, Mrs Awele Okigbo, said the electricity load shedding experienced by Abuja residents have been as a result of the Shiroro power plant shut down for long postponed maintenance evaluation.
It said the official affirmed that the shutdown resulted in the loss of 130 megawatts from February 12, causing power supply in the city to be affected predominantly during the hours of 8.am and 5 pm.
"The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) however notes that for the ordinary resident there is no difference between the time Shiroro power plant is shut down and the time it works at full capacity because power is always erratic; and the PTFP’s excuse epitomises the constant rationalisation the Federal Government dishes to the people in order to cover up its inability to fulfill its promises to Nigerians on power supply.
"As a party, we believe that Nigeria has the human and natural resources to generate 24-hour supply of electricity; all is needed is sincerity and unalloyed commitment on the part of the leadership," it said.
