Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - Peter Obi says the recurring collapse of the country's national grid is a ‘’national shame' and a glaring testament to the failure of leadership in Nigeria.
Obi said this in a statement he
released on social media today October 15. He argued that this latest power
grid collapse is emblematic of a leadership and government that have
‘’consistently failed to prioritize the welfare and economic well-being of the
people.''
His post reads;
‘’For the umpteenth time, the national grid
has collapsed, plunging a huge part of the nation into darkness and exposing
the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
This
recurring disaster is a national shame and a glaring testament to the failure
of leadership and policy implementation at the highest levels.
How long must Nigerians endure a
system that fails to provide one of the critical necessities for a productive
society?
This latest power grid collapse is
emblematic of a leadership and government that have consistently failed to
prioritize the welfare and economic well-being of the people.
We all know the immense importance of
power supply to the transformation of our economy. Its support to SMEs, which
are the engine of job creation and a major contributor to our GDP, is
immeasurable.
Today, we are the fourth largest
economy in Africa, having fallen from the number one position due to leadership
failure over the years, including the persistent power crisis, which is
critical when compared to smaller economies.
South Africa, which is now the
largest economy in Africa with a GDP of about $400 billion and 30% of our
population, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts of electricity.
Secondly, Egypt, the second largest
economy with a GDP of about $350 billion and half of our population, generates
and distributes over 40,000 megawatts.
Algeria, the third largest economy,
with about 300B GDP and 20% of our population, generates and distributes over
50,000 megawatts of electricity.
Nigeria, with less GDP but with more
population than the 3 countries combined, generates and distributes less than
10,000 megawatts, and even that is riddled with frequent collapses and crises
of failure.
This disparity in power generation is
a reflection of the deep-rooted governance deficit that continue to hold
back our growth and potential.
It is time for urgent, comprehensive
reform. Nigerians deserve a government that prioritizes measurable indices of
development.
A new Nigeria is POssible. PO.''
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