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Power Supply And Use In Gyel District Jos
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Nigeria presently has an installed capacity of approximately 10,000MW
of which 25% is hydro and 75% is gas fired thermal plants but this has
been grossly underutilized as only about 4200MW is generated on the
average compared to the installed capacity. Although no official
estimates for electric power demand exist, electric power demand has
been estimated at over 10,000MW and is expected to grow at the rate of
10% per anum from 2010-2020. This shortfall in power supply is posing a
major setback to the country’s ability to reduce poverty and achieve the
millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Perhaps it is only individuals
that are neither living nor doing business in Nigeria who will be
oblivious of the fact that lack of adequate power supply, especially
electricity is the major challenge the country is facing to fully
utilize its economic potentials in order to achieve economic
development. This is also the most significant factor which is affecting
the country’s race to be one of the biggest and top twenty economies of
the world by 2020 (vision 20- 20- 20).
The desire to
find lasting and permanent solutions to the problems of power supply in
Nigeria has remained a priority of every successive government in the
last ten to fifteen years. In recognition that the problem of power
supply is a challenging one scuttling socio- economic activities across
the country, the civilian administration in Nigeria since its inception
in 1999 started making huge investment in the energy sector. Available
records showed that by the end of 2001 the generating capacity had
increased from 1824MW (from 19 generating units) in March, 2000 to about
4000MW (from 40 generating units) and a new peak of 2934MW was recorded
in the process. This was made possible through rehabilitation of
existing units, installation of new generating plants and the
procurement of power from independent operators (Makoju, 2002;
Adegbamibe, 2007; Agbo, 2007). Nigeria’s government had set up 10,000MW
target to be achieved by the end of 2007 as it had invested in new power
projects that would be privatized after completion (Owan, 2005).
Till today, the power sector in Nigeria is still undergoing one form of
reform or another, be it privatization or deregulation. Despite these
efforts the power situation in Nigeria has not improved significantly.
The Nigerian government has not been able to find permanent solution
that will resolve the problems due to the adaptation of short term,
hasty policies and also still undergoing energy projects which are
detrimental to long term energy policies that will help the nation to
achieve sustainable energy and energy efficiency. For example, what the
country has done is still usage of the various alternatives that are
still within the limits of fossil fuels, which are the only source that
currently powers the nation’s economy (J. Kennedy-darling, N. Hoyt, K.
Murao, A. Ross, 2008).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE STUDY PROBLEM
There
is no gain saying the fact that power supply plays a critical role in
the overall development of a nation. There is a growing concern among
researchers, government and citizens alike that power supply in Nigeria
is grossly in inadequate and epileptic. Access to uninterrupted power in
Nigeria is also proving increasingly difficult. An estimated 60- 70% of
the Nigerian population does not have access to electricity and at
present, only 10% of the rural households, and 30- 40% of the country’s
total population have access to electricity (Sambo, 2007). The
distribution of electricity shows great disparities between rural and
urban, and between residential and industrial areas in the urban centers
(Ali- Akajiak & Pyke, 2003). It is common knowledge that the power
system in Nigeria is plagued with frequent power outages and high energy
losses. This stems from weak development and maintenance of the power
system.
Plateau state and indeed Gyel in particular is no exception
to this problem as it experiences long duration of power outages and in
some cases total black out for couple of days occasioned by load
shedding. The frequent interruption of power often experienced in Gyel
creates serious problems for residents (household electrical and
electronic appliances are damaged, food and beverages stored in
refrigerators get spoilt, clothes are not ironed, and heating water for
bathing and cooking get difficult), organizations (smooth day- to- day
running of their activities is hampered) and also hampering the smooth
and efficient running of commercial activities (businesses that depend
on electricity) not leaving out small and medium scale industries
located within the study area thereby compelling them to resort the use
of petrol/diesel generating sets at exorbitant prices.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The importance of power supply to any economy cannot be overemphasized. It the pivot on which the economic, industrial and technological development of any nation is hinged upon. This study was carried out to assess the state of power supply and use in Gyel District of Jos- South Local Government Area of Plateau State. Four communities were selected to constitute the sample population using the simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was the major instrument used for data co ... Continue reading---
