…if subsequent problems must be solved -Gencos advised
From David Onuoja, Abuja
The Managing Director, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGCs), Dr. Joy Ogaji, has advised the government especially the President, to always consider the appointment of those in the affairs of Power Sector on merit basis in order to deal with the subsequent problems facing the sector.
She gave the advice while speaking with our Correspondent in Abuja, recently saying, unless and until that is done, the power sector tussle may not have an end.
Dr. Ogaji, is a result-oriented legal practitioner with extensive experience in the oil and gas, environmental and electricity industries, whose expertise also covers litigation, drafting legal documents, and handling complex negotiations for both corporate bodies and individuals.
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She is also the pioneer CEO and Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), where she represents the interests of over 26 power generation stations and interfaces with key stakeholders to strengthen the Nigerian electricity value chain. She has been in the generation system for sometimes now, and has revealed that the problem faced by the Power sector is no other things than the problem of leadership.
She averred that until the needful is done nothing much will come out even after putting more resources into the sector but the doggedness of the leaders at the top to ameliorate the existing factor (s) bedeviling the power sector in Nigeria.
Dr Ogaji, advised that power industry leadership appointment should not just be anybody without merit in terms of knowing how the power industry operates, advising that the appointment of a minister of power for example, should go beyond a political reward, fellow or settlement but rather a serious Meritorious engagement; if power sector must work to the expectation of all.
Buttressing this fact, she said, “our GenCos complied with the laws of the land, whether it is regulation, policy, compliance. Whether with NERC, with TCN, with NBED, whoever, even with the federal government, we ensure that GenCos comply with the laws of the land.
“Also in terms of agreement, because in an agreement, two people always join, enter an agreement. We, have fulfilled ours, as contained in the performance agreement they signed with BPE in 2013. So it is left for the government to ensure that they are alspo keeping to the terms of the agreement.
“All the various agreements, such as the Power Purchasing Agreement (PPAs), with NBED, the grid connection agreement, all the various agreements the GENCO signed with various parties, whether with NISO, TSP, they are keeping to it. So we also expect that the government, both its agencies, should also keep to the terms of the agreement. Because it should not be one-sided.
“For example, in 2013, in the performance agreement, they said generation companies generate ramp up capacity to 5000 megawatts within five years. OK. Five years was 2018. So, by that 2018, most of the generation companies have exceeded their capacity.
“So, if anyone wants to fact check this, the association wrote to BPE and told them that, see, according to the performance agreement we signed with you, please come and assess us. Come and assess our performance, that we have exceeded our performance. “Until today, BPE did not come to carry out the assessment.
“We parceled the performance report and sent to BPE, NERC, Ministry of Power, Vice President. We also sent to every agency that is supposed to be sent to and are involved in the past, including Ministry of Finance and the National Assembly.
“That is it, and they have said that you can check, that the generation companies have performed and they are the reason why the privatization can be said to have succeeded despite that every other segment of the privatization failed. You can check it online, go to BPE check it, this information i’m giving to you is there.
“That is why I said the problem is with the leadership. I don’t know if you have read this book, this leadership guru in the world, his name is John Maxwell. He says, “everything rise and falls on leadership”. “So until we fix the leadership problem in the power sector, power will not be steady because it is with leadership that we’ll be able to ensure that everybody is sitting up.
“Whoever that is not sitting up, he/she should be shown the door out. But right now, whether you’re performing or you’re not performing, nothing happens.
There are no key performance indicators (KPI)s. “So if there are no key performance indicators to monitor the leadership. For example, “if you appoint the minister, “what are the KPIs for the Honorable Minister of Power to follow? Is it just for him to stay for four years and go? What are the KPIs?
How do you monitor his performance? Let’s say every six months or every one year, What are the KPIs? And these KPIs, is it set by him or who is setting the KPIs to be able to monitor his performance? She advised.
