How The Government Extort From Nigerians, By Dikko Muhammd

Power Supply |
"Often, I feel that we have gone beyond "shockability". Not because we are unshakeable, as my friends would say during SUG functions ..."

Often, I feel that we have gone beyond "shockability". Not because we are unshakeable, as my friends would say during SUG functions, but because we are too blinded to see how we are being robbed by power suppliers in Nigeria from NEPA, to PHCN to KEDCO and to any other stupid label they decide to give it. 

We were told that privatisation of the power sector would be the absolute solution to the epileptic supply we suffer from. So goes the privatisation. Some of us were expecting that the Buhari administration would reverse that action; he didn't, in fact his Minister of Infrastructure said they won't do that; as usual, no eyebrows raised. But what Buhari or Fashola or KEDCO deliberately refused to do is addressing how the power company is stealing from Nigerians in an institutionalised way by collecting their N1500 and above every month for a luxury that never was. The company now decides when to give us power and when to take it out. Usually, the supply could be less than 2 hours out of 24 hours. It could be between 2am-4am. Even if you are "dashing" us light at those hours, common decency (i.e if you have it), would tell you that it is of course useless to us.

The usual cliché is that Niger Delta Avengers are destroying the gas pipelines. (Must I pay to cover for that?) President Buhari is trying to stop looters from looting public funds. Thus, he should, in fact, he must stop ill-gotten money from reaching the public treasury. If the Nigerian government cannot stop avengers, it should not avenge on innocent souls by making them pay for what was not given/sold to them in the first place.

However, sad as I am with the government, I am sadder with the public who allow the power company to extort from them recklessly and thoughtlessly. One bad habit about us is that we indulge in issues we shouldn't bother to know at all; the Zahra's lefe issue, her pre marital picture with the bridegroom, an emir/oba marrying a girl of 18 etc. For God sake, how does that concern you amidst recession, with a minimum wage that is no longer accommodating the basics? Why should you pay N30 to have your battery charged, and then go to Facebook defending/attacking other people for entirely a private affair?

Again, some of us with a prepaid meter, connived with the same traitors working at this power company to disable/bypass the meter from counting the units. So they get power "freely" at the detriment of the many who must cover for the expected monthly target to be raised in that state. When there is no light, they shouted "Allah Ya isa, God dey, these people" etc. Don't you think you would be judged on the Day of resurrection?

I believe it is high time we come to our senses. Remember, Shata used to say, "kudi a kashe su ta hanya mai kyau". There is no point we should be extorted every month. We must start asking the necessary questions. These people are daily driving air conditioned Hilux vehicles with our hard earned money. If they can't supply us with electricity 24/7, they should, at least, design a monthly timetable which they can strictly adhere to in the distribution, so that we can at least plan our activities in line with that. For example, Area A would get supply from 4am to 7am. Area B would get from 7am to 10am etc.  But if you continue to supply us at the time you want, then it must be our duty to pay you when and how much we want. You just can't get it both ways. I believe this is the best way to check this illegal business. I won't mind starting this alone in the a few months to come. It is better to fight alone than to be among the gullible multitudes.

Dikko Muhammad.