…Seeks Adelabu’s resignation as Power Minister for incessant grid collapse
By Yahaya Umar
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress ,NLC, Joe Ajaero, has criticized the proposed N8bn budget for electricity bill sensitization, describing it as an “insult” to consumers amidst frequent grid collapses.
He also called for the resignation of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, accusing the ministry of “incapacity and failure”.
In a communiqué made available to AljazirahNigeria in Abuja, Ajaero highlighted the frequent grid collapses under the current administration, claiming they surpassed those experienced under previous leadership combined.
According to him, competent officials in the Ministry of Power could have averted the embarrassing failures.
He criticized Adelabu’s statement, suggesting that grid collapses are inevitable, describing it as an outright admission of failure.
“The power sector in Nigeria is on the brink of collapse, as the helmsmen have repeatedly shown gross incompetence. It is therefore, not surprising that power grid collapse is now a constant occurrence, succumbing to greed and crass incompetence”, Ajaero stated.
He also faulted the proposed N8bn allocation in the 2025 federal budget for the “sensitization of Nigerians on the need to pay electricity bills”, calling it a symbol of “profligacy, wastefulness, and corruption”.
“At a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with crushing poverty, runaway inflation, and a failing economy, it is both insulting and tragic for leaders to squander public funds on such frivolities.
“Proposing to allocate a whopping N8bn to ‘sensitize’ Nigerians who already pay exorbitant tariffs amid constant grid failures reeks of arrogance, insensitivity, and utter disregard for accountability,” he added.
Ajaero further challenged Adelabu to provide evidence of dividends received by the federal government from privatized electricity entities over the past 12 years, given its 40 per cent ownership stake.
He urged the National Assembly to remove the allocation from the budget and conduct a comprehensive audit of the power sector budget to uncover potential corruption and financial recklessness.
“The National Assembly must rise to its constitutional duty as the custodian of the people’s interests by rejecting this disgraceful allocation.
“Sensitization campaigns should not cost a fraction of this amount, especially when schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure are underfunded”, Ajaero stressed.
He also criticized the Transmission Company of Nigeria ,TCN, for owing contractors over N200bn.
Ajaero accused the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission ,NERC, of colluding with a Distribution Company ,DisCo, board to sack a Managing Director who exposed unethical practices, thereby punishing whistleblowers instead of protecting them.
“This allocation is not just wasteful; it is a slap in the face of every hardworking Nigerian struggling to make ends meet.
“Unless the perceived incompetence and wastefulness in the Ministry of Power and NERC are addressed urgently, the nation’s power sector may collapse completely”, the communiqué added.
Ajaero urged the President to rein in the excesses of officials in the Ministry of Power and NERC to save the sector from total collapse.
