Abeg, make una sitdown, e be like say na serious matter wey dey ground for power sector. Dis smart meter wahala don reach level wey plenty Nigerians dey vex, as government dey struggle to deploy am where e suppose dey.
Since di Federal Government get contract of $500 million with World Bank for Distribution Sector Recovery Programme, na only about 200,000 smart meters don land for ground. Chai! E no sweet at all! As dem dey plan to close di big metering gap of 5.66 million, na so di electricity distribution companies dey lag behind.
For Abuja, di Director-General of Bureau of Public Enterprises, Ayodeji Gbeleyi, don talk say dem don review di matter with stakeholders to see wetin dey happen. “Dis na landmark transaction for di country,” he talk, as he dey explain di plan to roll out 3.2 million smart meters over four years. Wetin happen wey dem go be like say dem no dey rush am?
Na true say dis meters and installation dey come free of charge to customers, but wetin be di use if dem no fit install am? Gbeleyi admit say about 700,000 meters don land but only 150,000 to 200,000 don reach customer hand. Dis kind slow progress no dey show say dem dey serious to handle di situation.
We get PHASE ONE wey involve importing 1,437,500 meters, and dem also dey bring in plenty local manufacturers wey dey supply another 217,000 meters. This phase supposed don pick up pace, but wetin we dey see? Na only number wey dey fall for ground!
Adedayo Olowoniyi wey be di Chief Technical Adviser talk say di figures no dey encouraging at all! E don hammer am say dem need to fix di distribution segment wey many people dey complain say na di weakest part for di power value chain.
NERC Chairman, Musiliu Olalekan Oseni, don yan say metering get big role to play for di relationship wey dey between consumers and utilities. Na meter go fit help people know how dem dey pay for wetin dem use, and e go build trust among dem. But wahala dey, as misinformation dey plenty for di media.
Di good news be say DISREP dey align with other initiatives wey dey for ground to boost meter deployment. World Bank don drop $500 million to support di whole thing, but e go need serious follow-up and enforcement.
Aisha Tukur, di Director of di Energy Sector Department talk say DISREP no just dey focus on metering alone. E dey aim to create operational efficiency and financial viability across di power sector. But slow uptake by DisCos dey pose serious risk.
Despite di assurances wey government don give, we still dey see plenty meters wey dem never install, and di DisCo managers dey vow to speed up di matter. But make I talk true, make dem no forget say meter bypass and tampering no go help everybody.
Baba God help us, because dis smart meter matter na serious case! E go better if everybody fit dey see dia consumption clearly. Make we dey watch as di matter dey unfold, e go sweet if na all of us go fit benefit from di light wey dem dey claim sey dem wan provide.
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