Consumer group seeks mid-term review of power sector privatisation

Mr Kunle Olubiyo , President Nigerian Consumer Protection Network has called on the Federal Government to carry out mid-term review of the privatisation of power sector.

Olubiyo who made this call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday said that the review would present the aspiration of consumers.

He said that Nigerians had not really got what they aspired and desired from the privatisation of the power sector.

According to him, the privatisation agreement signed by the power companies has what is called the mid-term review and there is what we also call the immediate, the mid-term and long term.

“So we are now expecting that by December 2019, the privatisation is supposed to be about five years, we expect that all the critical stakeholders will come with their strong reasons marshal their points.

“We are not saying that licenses should be out rightly revoked, government is continuous but what we are saying is that the review we envisage is to reset the present nature of non-performance.

“There are lot indices of non-performance and if there is non-performance, Federal Government can invoke the rule of discharge by frustration on those that have not been able to perform,’’ he said.

He explained that discharge by frustration in the law of contract meant inability of one party or both parties to effectively discharge their commitment to obligation.

“If we do not get it right with power, then Nigeria does not have the absorptive capacity to accommodate the several millions of graduates being produced by higher institutions that are not employed,’’ he said.

Olubiyo said that most industries in the country were shut down due to epileptic power supply, adding that there was need to get it right with power.

According to him, when there is effective power supply, the country will have real industrialisation and social security which is important in growth and development.

-NAN