A former power minister, Barth Nnaji, has accused diesel suppliers and generator dealers of sabotaging regular electricity supply in Nigeria.

On Wednesday, Mr Nnaji said this while featuring in a Flo FM programme, ‘The South East Political Roundtable’ by Flo FM, Umuahia.

Mr Nnaji said the endless breakdown of the national power grid had remained a significant concern among Nigerians. 

According to him, this is despite the federal government’s claim of spending N7 trillion as direct interventions in the power sector, even after privatising the industry’s electricity generation and distribution arms in November 2013.

Nnaji, chair of Geometric Power, Aba, identified diesel suppliers and generator sellers as other obstacles for those in the power generation business.

The former minister said the sector needs professionals who understand Nigeria’s electricity supply industry to manage it.

“There are two areas when you talk of cabal in the sector – the diesel suppliers and generator users. Nigeria is a big user of generators because of our enormous power needs, and those who are in the business would not want any interruption.

“The diesel suppliers feel that stable power supply would destroy their business,” said Mr Nnaji.

Like others, the former minister further alleged that the power sector had some cabals who made gains from erratic electricity supply.

He said, “A graphic picture of how dangerous the diesel suppliers can be was experienced when we were in government, somewhere in this country, some men cut down 30KVA line to stop electricity supply to thousands of users.

“Unfortunately, the diesel supplying company sponsored the operation. Incidentally, the power cable fell on one of them, who later confessed to the crime.” 

(NAN)