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Darkness has mastered us, but thank God for his own light – Obinkem Allwell
July 26, 2013
Results from the Power Sector Polls conducted by NOI Polls Limited, have revealed that an average of 47 percent (about 75.2 million) of Nigerians said that electricity supply went from bad to worse between April and June 2013.
Results from the poll also indicate that about 8 in 10 of those interviewed (81%) say they generate their own power supply through alternative sources to compensate for irregular power supply; while a combined average of 69 percent have experienced increase in their spending on alternative power supply compared to a year ago.
A breakdown of key findings from the poll reveal that while 22 percent of Nigerians said power was very bad and turned worse, 25 percent said it remained bad. However, 33 percent of Nigerians saw some improvement in power supply, 20 percent found that power remained the same with no difference in the past month.
The survey which was conducted by NOI Polls Limited, a Nigerian opinion polling and research organisation, which works to conduct periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria, said the survey spanned from April to June 2013.
Out of the three months, the report revealed that May had the highest amount of power supply. Also, power supply slightly improved in May as less people had to generate their own power supply compared to other months. The survey further found that 8 in 10 Nigerians used other sources of electricity apart from the power supplied to households by PHCN. A situation which ties with the petrol pump price monitoring polls conducted by NOI Polls which revealed that Nigerians mainly use petrol for their generators.
Several other reports with similar findings have been presented in recent times, what is left to see decisive action from relevant agencies of government and key policy makers in the power sector.
But the minister of power Professor Chinedu Nebo said on Tuesday that very soon the country will attain uninterrupted power supply. The minister, who spoke at the Ministerial Platform in Abuja, said available statistics show that power generation in the last two years has improved and if the tempo will be sustained very soon Nigerians will get 24/7 power supply. He attributed some of the challenges facing the sector to incessant vandalisation of electricity installations in the country. -DailyTrust
