Amid the worsening power crisis in Nigeria, the South East Electricity Consumers Association, SEECA, has called on governors in the region to accord more attention to electricity generation.
This is as it lamented that residents were losing billions of Naira owing to epileptic power supply.
SEECA, an umbrella body of electricity consumers in the South East, said this was the fastest route to achieving the industrial revolution the zone seeks.
Coordinator of SEECA, Dr Sebastine Chukwuebuka Okafor, made this known in Enugu, weekend, during a chat with journalists.
He was addressing the persistent electricity shortages that had affected the South East in recent months, largely due to power generation challenges on the national grid.
He stated that the situation had caused severe hardship for electricity consumers in the zone, leading to losses estimated at over N28 billion within three months.
According to him, the epileptic power supply has crippled many businesses, especially during the yuletide period when commercial activities usually peak.
Okafor posited that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in the zone should not be entirely blamed, stressing that the electricity value chain was complex and that DisCos could not distribute power they do not receive.
He added that the South East was already disadvantaged in power distribution, as the zone receives only about seven per cent of the total electricity generated in the country.
“Electricity is the backbone of every modern economy. When power is unstable, industries suffer, jobs are lost, and people remain poor.
“In the South East today, small businesses are closing daily because they cannot afford generators and diesel. Our people are paying for darkness with their sweat and savings.
“You cannot blame the DisCos alone when they receive very little power to share.
“If the government invests in power generation within the zone, factories will return, artisans will work better, and young people will find jobs. Stable electricity will reduce poverty faster than any policy statement.”
The don also questioned why South East governors continue to concentrate more on electricity distribution rather than generation, describing the approach as anti-people and anti-progress.
He argued that focusing on distribution without sufficient generation only spreads scarcity and deepens frustration among consumers.
According to him, the South East has enough human capital, gas resources, and private investors willing to partner in power generation projects if governments show commitment.”
“Investing in independent power plants would reduce dependence on the national grid, boost industrial growth, and place the region on a sustainable path to economic self-reliance,” he further stated.
