The Senate on Tuesday condemned the power sector and asked the Federal Government to urgently cancel the entire privatization process carried out during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

It also warned that Nigeria might not have an adequate power supply in the next years, if the privatization was not canceled, and urged the Federal Government to immediately suspend the planned electricity tariff increase due to take effect in July.

The Red Chamber also called on government, through the Ministry of Finance, to include the Nigeria Electric Power Sector in the disbursement of proposed N1.7trillon COVID-19 intervention fund.

Speaking yesterday during discussions on a motion, titled “Power Sector Recovery Plan and the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic,” President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, said it is disheartening that with huge sums of money spent so far on the power sector, results are not being achieved.

Lawan, who said the Senate committee will investigate trillions spent so far to reinvigorate the power sector without commensurate results, said; “We gave power to them (power generation and distribution companies) and they still come to the public to ask for funds.

“I think it’s time for Nigeria to consider reversing the privatization of the power sector or they should just cancel the entire privatization process completely. If we leave it, we may not have power for another ten years.”

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“We expected efficiency and something better. DISCOs have no capacity to supply us power. We shouldn’t continue to give them money. They’re private businesses; we need to review this whole thing. Something is wrong.

“Our committee needs to investigate the trillions spent. That’s a lot of money. Try and find out what has happened so far. Government needs to look at this whole thing. Maybe government is not doing its own part.

“We need to find out. There is a lack of capital. We feel very bad. There is no electricity and the country is suffering.”

Consequently, the Senate mandated the Committee on Power, led by Senator Gabriel Suswam (PDP, Benue North-East), to investigate all Federal Government interventions in the power sector since the privatization of the sector to date, with a view to ascertaining adequacy of such interventions and desired impact, and report back within four weeks.

The Senate also urged the Federal Government to suspend the planned electricity tariff increase due to take effect from July given the increased hardship occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.