Chief economist at SPM Professionals, Paul Alaje, shares his thoughts with AYOOLA OLASUPO on some of the recent economic policies made by the Federal Government among others

Recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria increased Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Rate known as interest rate from 22.75% to 24.75%. What implications will this have on the private sector?

What do you think of the Central Bank of Nigeria stimulating this programme at this point? I mean, initially at 15.75%, then to 22.75%, and then to 24.75%. This has tremendous implications for the private sector, individuals, the government, and most importantly the people of Nigeria. Well, it will be relatively difficult for the private sector to borrow money or to borrow new money and some banks will write the existing customer rates review because the baseline for lending has changed. So, when it changes and it goes up, it means that the cost of borrowing would also increase.

Again, this would mean a discouragement for investment, and in Economics, it is general for us to say that raising interest rates perpetually will cloud out investments and if it is, and by extension, it means it will cloud out employment. Unemployment is expected to increase, and the National Bureau of Statistics has reported that the Nigerian unemployment rate has increased from where it was to where it is now. The straight answer to that is that it will have adverse effects on the private sector.

What is your take on some people’s concern that it will further deepen the country’s inflation and as well lead to massive job loss across the country?

The goal of the Central Bank for increasing MPR is actually to combat inflation and to stabilise the economy because, according to the Central Bank, the money supply has increased. We just ended a regime where money was printed endlessly. We can print in such a manner and expect inflation not to surge. Unfortunately, inflation is now at over 33%. The CBN feels that by increasing rates, we are going to have a lower rate of inflation but unfortunately, while they think it will be reducing, it seems to be going high because we believe that the main cause of inflation is not just monetary reasons.

The authority must also take some level of responsibility in terms of what is inducing inflation because, in the real sense, institutional things are causing inflation in Nigeria, which, of course, most of them are supply shortages of farm outputs due to banditry and insecurity in the North to high costs and means of moving articulated vehicles from farm centres. These are real issues embattling our nation and this is why inflation is high. So, what are people saying? This will cause an increase, and technically speaking, in economics, we call it unemployment, because unemployment will increase if people don’t invest; they will not increase the number of employment.

But that does not mean that there will be no investment at all. There will be portfolio investments and we have started seeing them. When the interest rate is high, foreigners and locals, rather than putting money into building factories and farms or starting industries, will prefer to give the money to the government at a very high interest rate believing that whether they work or not, the government will pay back. The Nigerian Stock Exchange will be affected.

You can see that the stock has been affected since the new announcement because people prefer to put their money where there is a risk whether the share will go up or down. The rate at the dead market is so high and it is going to discourage even stock and expansion of employment because the Federal Government wants to control inflation through the CBN policies. The government also wants to borrow because anytime you hear that we are getting things abroad, it means we are borrowing. So, that is the real situation of things there.

The Organised Labour in its demand for a new national minimum wage, asked the Federal Government to pay N615,000. Is this amount attainable considering the current economic crisis in the country?

What Nigeria has paid over the years has been minimum wage, not living wage. They are two different things. Since time immemorial, Nigeria’s minimum wage has been pegged between $100 to $200. So, for the sake of convenience, what Labour should be looking at as minimum wage should be between N100,000 to N200,000 and I can tell you that the chances are very high that President Tinubu will announce that. He will announce between N100,000 and N200,000 on the 1st of May.

Why are you confident about that?

It’s because looking at the economy now, for a household that is living under the current electricity regime, let’s say a man who is a graduate is earning about N80,000. He has 180 units, and cooks with gas in his home. He is a Level 8 or Level 7 officer of the Federal Government, and he doesn’t have a car. He has to use a public bus. How much will such a man spend on electricity? If this man would spend N20,000 before now, he’s going to spend the whole of his salary to buy electricity units. This is the reality of now.

The Federal Government has now fallen by some percentage. What people have seen is about 400%. I wonder why people are not engaging with the Minister of Power because the policy is not working. People are paying over 400% for darkness. It is not working, and I think by now, the media will take a survey in areas that have been affected. So, saying that people will earn the same amount is practically unrealistic. A bag of rice is usually the benchmark most of the time.

When we were earning N18,000 as minimum wage, that could buy two units of 50kg bag of rice, which means a bag of rice was around N9,000. The economy became so bad that one bag of rice became N22,000, and then former President Muhammadu Buhari came up with a N30,000 minimum wage. Right now, we are still on N30,000 minimum wage when a bag of rice is about N70,000. So, what do we think President Tinubu will do? It’s between N100,000 to N200, 000.

Will the private sector be able to afford it?

They cannot. The private sector cannot afford it. How many private sector firms can pay over N600,000 to its people? How many CEOs are taking N600,000? Everything is expensive because subsidy removal has caused Nigerians economic dislocation. In the name of subsidy removal, there is fluctuation in the exchange rate. To some extent, yes, but not to a larger extent, and these are reasons why there seems to be some level of pricing within the economy. So, I can tell you that the minimum wage will stay within that peg of N100,000 to N200,000. I don’t see the minimum wage going to N1 above N200,000 or below N100,000 as the minimum wage, not maximum wage.

The Organised Labour is also challenging the hike in electricity tariff, saying relevant stakeholders were not consulted before the decision was made. Is the recent electricity tariff hike justified?

I am really worried about the current Organised Labour, and I can tell you that I don’t think I’m as confident in them as I was because of the highest level of inconsistency in the comments coming from Organised Labour. How can we, in our lifetime, see increments up to eight times without any form of improvement? I will tell you before power was given to the private sector, Nigeria’s distribution was up to 3,000 or 3,500 megawatts. We have now privatised and we are now able to generate more but the transmission lines keep collapsing.

There was a year when it collapsed nine times. What is the essence of having a big fish if you cannot eat fish, let alone meat? What are we still distributing to homes and factories today? Since it is the same 3,500 megawatts; what then is the extent of the privatisation? I’m telling you that we do not have privatisation. What we have is a monopoly and that is very dangerous for our economy, and that is what the Minister of Power needs to understand.

What is a monopoly? In Abuja, you have (Abuja Electricity Distribution Company) AEDC. If you don’t want to use AEDC, which other power can you use? It’s a monopoly. In Ikeja, on the mainland, you have to use the Ikeja Electric. If I don’t want to use Ikeja Electric, which other alternative do I have that will provide electricity for me? And on the Island, it is Eko Electric. So, these are real issues we have to deal with. You must make sure that we have alternatives because we cannot suffer for what we must pay. It is not economics. In Economics, the tax price cannot determine the quantity. It is a monopoly; it is not possible.

What advice do you have based on that?

The government must review the contract of the Discos. If I say, marry my daughter, and I see that every day and night, you are beating the girl black and blue, as a good father, I will say I’m not giving you my daughter again. I don’t think Nigerians deserve the quality of power and the prices we are paying. Whatever the band, whether Band A, B, or Z, the rate is unfair compared to the output Nigerians are getting.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is cracking down on currency speculators and cryptocurrency platforms manipulating the naira. Will this have a positive impact on the economy?

Honestly, I’ve never believed in crypto trading, and I’ve never believed in all these trading that are not transparent, and I have my reasons. The reason is that even though it is not all crypto that is doing this, some people may use it for terrorism financing. We have said that if people trade in crypto, they should apply through the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Again, for people who are running pyramid schemes or some schemes of some sort, the government needs to be involved so that people’s funds are not stolen. Over the years, I’ve seen people lose their money with schemes that cannot be explained. The EFCC says it is shutting down accounts of individuals who are trading some of these things, but the truth is that as they are shutting them down, new ones are coming up daily. Can we now make platforms where we can regulate some of these things?

I know which ones are genuine and the fake. So, the matter with the decision of the EFCC is neither here nor there because I can tell you that I’ve seen people who have truly lost their money. So, when our people are putting their money in crypto and they are converting to other currencies, it’s further putting the naira under pressure, and anything that will put the naira at a disadvantage, I will never support because I’m spending naira; I’m a Nigerian and I live in Nigeria.

But don’t you think there is a need for the Federal Government to adopt the ways cryptocurrency is being used in advanced countries in terms of regulations rather than EFCC clamping down on these platforms?

For me, I strongly advise that the government put regulations in place. I strongly advise that the government regulate the cryptocurrency business and anyone who wants to do such a business in Nigeria should also pay the necessary taxes that are due to the government. My concern about crypto and other schemes is that transparency is an issue.

People have been duped over some time and some websites will just disappear and people’s money will vanish, but I’m putting a caveat because this is not the reality of raw crypto. For the genuine ones, can we now study the model and their countries of origin and see the policies we can put in place if our people must participate in it?

What policy do you think the Federal Government can make to ensure that the existence of cryptocurrency platforms in Nigeria is to the advantage of the country’s economy?

Now, we have seen gambling companies trick people. They will say they want to pay X amount. You know they were not paying people; they changed their rules in the middle of the game. The Federal Government came up with a board to regulate that. If that has happened, such an effect has reduced drastically. I know the government has the competence to do this. Again, can we look at countries where this has worked? For me, regulating and supporting the process is important.

The International Monetary Fund forecasts that Nigeria’s economy, which ranked as Africa’s largest in 2022, will slip to fourth place this year after a series of currency devaluations. How can this be prevented from happening?

Well, I have engaged with those in authority before on my Twitter page. I predicted that Nigeria would lose its position if we continued with the probation policy. Unfortunately, we continued. The only way we can reverse the IMF’s prediction, which of course, is reversible or we can make sure that it does not come to reality, is to ensure that the naira has sufficient value. Naira should go back to between N500 and N1,000 at best, and by so doing, we’ll be looking at the third position.

 

 

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has described as very unfortunate the fire incident caused by a tanker conveying premium motor spirit otherwise known as petrol which burnt motorists and commuters beyond recognition and destroyed several vehicles on Friday night.

The incident occurred between the Indorama Petro-Chemical Company Gate and the Aleto Bridge on the popular and ever busy Eleme section of the East-West Road now undergoing major reconstruction by the Federal Government.

The governor expressed sadness at the gory sights that he saw when he visited the scene of the incident, accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the State Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Uchechukwu Nwafor, on Saturday morning.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, and sent to newsmen.

The governor also spoke about the tanker inferno that had become a sad episode in the State with over 120 vehicles razed and about five lives lost, describing it as “great tragedy”.

“It is a very sad day in our dear State. Something happened in Eleme, along the route of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company Limited. A tanker had an issue with a tipper, and there was an unfortunate situation that caused the State a very devastating loss.

“I went there this morning to see for myself what happened, and I can tell you, I’ve not been happy since then. With all the dramas in our State, it is not even proper for us to add that to it.

“But it wasn’t our fault. It was just what impatience caused. The tanker driver, knowing the state of that road, was not patient, and it resulted in that colossal loss. Over 120 vehicles were completely burnt, and five lives were lost. It was very unfortunate.”

Governor Fubara spoke at the country home of Sir Celestine Omehia in Ubima community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.

Earlier, Fubara explained that he got a call from the Managing Director of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertilizer Company Limited in Eleme Local Government Area, informing him of the incident.

At the news of the incident, the governor said he immediately routed a call to the security agencies and instructed that they visit the scene to take charge of the security of the area to avoid escalation of the situation.

Governor Fubara stated, “We are here to see for ourselves and get first-hand information of the incident of what happened yesterday night.

“About 7.30 – 8pm, we got information of the gravity of the incident. I was told that it was caused by a tanker vehicle that was conveying Premium Motor Spirit.

“In fact, I got the information through the MD of Indorama, and I immediately alerted the security agencies to make sure they take control of the security situation in the area.

“And from what we are seeing this morning, it was not a pleasant case. We recorded a huge number of vehicles destroyed and lives lost.”

The governor explained that he had already requested the relevant government agencies to provide him a detailed account of their findings to enable the State Government to take appropriate decisions and actions to significantly remedy the situation and reduce the negative effects on the affected people.

“I have already asked the relevant agencies to give us a full brief so that we can come into the situation fully by seeing to how much we can support the families that are bereaved, and also cushion the effect of the losses, which I believe, is no fault of a good number of them.

“We all know the situation of this road. It is really unfortunate. Most of our people, when plying this road, should ply it with caution.

“I believe very strongly that this situation would have been avoidable, if the motorists had behaved properly. But it is late already. The damage has happened. This is the situation we have found ourselves in. We will see how we can control the aftermath,” he added.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement said four bodies, including that of a pregnant woman were seen at the scene of the inferno.

The statement read, “At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2024, the Rivers State Police Command received a distress call regarding a fire incident along East-West Road near Indorama Gate, Eleme, caused by a tanker explosion. Immediate action was taken by contacting the fire department and mobilizing operatives to the scene.

“Upon arrival, a joint operation of the Police and Firefighters successfully extinguished the fire by 10:30pm. However, over 70 cars were engulfed, and several individuals were trapped. Efforts led to the rescue of many, though the total casualties are yet to be determined.

“Regrettably, four individuals, including a pregnant woman, have been confirmed dead, and those injured are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.”

When contacted, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Rivers State Command, Christopher Kuje. Corroborated the casualty figure by the police, saying the charred remains were bagged and taken to the Military Hospital in Port Harcourt.

Kuje added, “We counted four bodies that were burnt beyond recognition. So, we use body bags to carry them to the Military Hospital. The vehicles we counted that got burnt were 60.”

An eyewitness who gave his name as Precious, said, “Some people were running when the fire caught them and they died,” he explained, even as he blamed the tragedy on the reconstruction of the road which, according to him, had worsened the gridlock.

“Yes, they are working the road, which is good, but they should also create access. Not the way they are doing it. One they should be fast about it and secondly the contractor should know that vehicles are using the road. Otherwise, this would not have happened. It is unfortunate,” he added.

 

 

 

26-year-old Ebonyi State lady, Chinaza Nwaezere, battling goitre (thyroid enlargement) decided to go into sex work to raise the money for her surgery after two failed businesses in Enugu State. She tells GODFREY GEORGE how life has been for her caring for her sick father and six younger siblings with the proceeds from the ‘business’ and why she wants to quit

Where are you from?

My name is Chinaza Nwaezere. I am 26 years old. I am from Abakiliki Local Government Area in Ebonyi State.

Did you go to school?

No, I did not finish secondary school. In fact, I stopped in JSS 1. I could not further my education because it was the period my mother died, and she was the breadwinner of the family.

What year was this?

This was in 2014.

Where is your dad?

My dad is alive, but my mother was the one taking care of the family.

How has life been since your mother’s passing?

Hmm… Life has been hard since she passed, especially as my dad is not really doing his work as a father. Everything is left for me and my siblings to hustle to make ends meet. We are just trying to survive.

When you said your father is not doing enough as a father, what did you mean?

My father is not capable of taking care of us.

Is he sick?

Yes, he is sick. He has been sick for many years, long before my mother’s demise. He has a heart condition, and because of that, he doesn’t do any hard work. He is just always at home because the doctors were very clear when they told him that he must avoid anything that would be classified as hard work. So, it has been me and my siblings struggling for the family.

We came together and gathered some money and opened a foodstuff business for him. That is what he does in Enugu. Although the business is very small and barely makes any profit, at least, my father can come out, interact with people, and make some sales so he will not just be lonely at home. He has been doing this business for a few years.

How many siblings do you have?

We are eight children. I am the second child. I have seven other siblings. Our last child should be around 11 years or so and he is still in school.

You mentioned you have an elder sister; where is she?

She is in Enugu. She is married with kids. She is a fashion designer. The burden of taking care of the family falls squarely on both our shoulders. My dad particularly relies on me so much and I have to do anything I have to do to provide, and all this was part of the reason I started sex work. My dad believed that, even if my siblings would not be able to give him any money for upkeep, I should be able to give him. We are really close.

How have you been able to live up to this responsibility?

Hmmm… It has not been easy. I was into food business. I sold food by the roadside in Enugu, but the business was not going as planned. It was not yielding much profit because the weight of the entire family was on it. It was from that business I took care of seven of my siblings and my father as well. The business collapsed before it even started. I also tried to do baking but it was not profitable to me. The money I was getting was not enough to take care of myself and my family.

It was around that period of my confusion that I was introduced to the ‘hustle’. I started hustling.

What do you mean by ‘hustling’? 

I started hookup (sex work) in Enugu but had to relocate to Asaba, Delta State. I didn’t work for up to one week before I relocated to Asaba.

Why?

It was someone who told me to move to Asaba. She said the business there would be more profitable than Enugu. I also wasn’t feeling okay there, because that is where my family is based. I was staying with my dad and had to lie to him every night and I didn’t like it. I had to just decide to either stop it and return to poverty or move to Asaba and make some money.

I had to lie to my dad that I had a job in Asaba. He was so happy. He told me to kneel and he prayed for me before I left. He doesn’t really know what I am doing there.

What year exactly did you move to Asaba?

I moved in January 2024. I have only been in Asaba for four months.

How much have you made in four months?

The thing is that it is not every day I normally go out for this kind of stuff. There is also an issue of police clampdown. They are everywhere here, disturbing us. I had to stop for a while because of the police palaver. They are really disturbing girls here. I was squatting with a friend of mine here but she drove me out of the house, saying that she couldn’t accommodate me if I was not bringing money into the house for some basic things. I became homeless for a while before I got to the place where I am squatting now. I pay N11,000 here every week.

In a month, I may hustle for just two weeks. The money that I get, I will try to save. The money that they are paying me here is not even big.

How much do you charge for your services?

I can tell a man that a night with me is N30,000. They will beat it down to around N10,000. If it is okay by me, I will go with the man.

What is the highest that you have been paid in a night?

The highest? I don’t know. If it is someone that I have looked at from afar and weighed his pocket, I can demand N50,000 or N40,000, and they may beat it down to N30,000 which is my regular charge. But, it is not that simple.

At what point did you notice that you had goitre?

It started developing in my body in 2022. I just woke up and noticed I had a swelling. I thought it was just neck pain or sore throat. I went to a pharmacy and got medication for a case of sore throat. But, it kept growing bigger. I carried it for the entire year and even into 2023. It was in 2023 that the pain became unbearable as the swelling got really bigger. It has been weighing me down. This is the major thing that made me say I must take it out.

It is really disturbing me. It is giving me reactions in my body.

Have you gone to the hospital?

Yes, I have. I did that in 2023. When I got there, the nurses said I would have to see the doctor. That day, I was unable to see the doctor because the crowd was too large. I had to leave. It was the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. But, the thing normally itches me on my skin. Sometimes, it will itch me and I will have to scratch my body even in public. It makes me so uncomfortable. It has also made me develop a difficulty in breathing.

How have you managed to do your sex work in this condition?

It is not really an easy thing for me. Most times, people don’t know I am sick. If I come out at night for my work, some guys will see me and ask me what happened to my eyeballs. My eyeballs are almost popping out of their sockets because of this goitre. If I tell them, they will just give me some money and go and carry someone else. But, some of them may not look at me very well and they will carry me. When I get to the hotel room, the pain in my neck will be much but I have no choice.

Once I lie down with it to start the job, I always feel excruciating pain, but I just deal with it. I brace up and focus on the money I am going to be paid, knowing that, once I gather enough money, I will stop the work. I have just been managing because nobody will feed me.

Sometimes, when the guys in the hotel room notice that I have a swollen neck, they will ask me what the problem is and they’d just give me some money and not touch me. Most of them are afraid that I may have some disease that they may contract. Some are also scared to touch me so I don’t die in their eyes.

How much did the doctors say it will cost to treat you?

Before I relocated to Asaba this January, I went to a private clinic in Enugu, and the doctor, after many tests, said it was a surgery that I required and that it would cost N700,000. This was earlier in the year, and I don’t know if this has increased. I also went to the hospital two days ago to see a doctor and he has done some scans on my neck, and gave me some medication to be taking while waiting for the test results. They said it will go on Monday, they will tell us the next thing to do.

Are your family members aware that this is the kind of work you do to bring in money for their upkeep?

My father and younger siblings are not aware. My elder sister is aware. She has not told me directly that she knows but I know she does. She is a lady, she knows ‘what’s up’. She knows I don’t have any job I am doing so there is no way I will be bringing in money if it is not through sex work. There are some things she tells me that make me really sad.

What do you want Nigerians to do in this matter?

God really knows my heart that this is not what I wish to do with my life. I want to become healthy and go back to my food business and baking. There is no day that I don’t use to pray for God to forgive me and send my destiny helper for me. God finally did it for me when I met this content creator, Comicmiss2, who interviewed me and published it on her Facebook page.

I remember that one prophet came to me when I was waiting for a customer one day and told me that if I didn’t stop this work, I would die untimely from it. I told him that I would not die because God knows it is not my wish or intention to do this work. This is why when most guys carry me, after giving me the money, they will take it and run away.

I still want godly husband despite my past – 26-year-old sex worker

28th April 2024

By Godfrey George

Kindly share this story:

A 26-year-old Ebonyi State lady, Chinaza Nwaezere, battling goitre (thyroid enlargement) decided to go into sex work to raise the money for her surgery after two failed businesses in Enugu State. She tells GODFREY GEORGE how life has been for her caring for her sick father and six younger siblings with the proceeds from the ‘business’ and why she wants to quit

Where are you from?

My name is Chinaza Nwaezere. I am 26 years old. I am from Abakiliki Local Government Area in Ebonyi State.

Did you go to school?

No, I did not finish secondary school. In fact, I stopped in JSS 1. I could not further my education because it was the period my mother died, and she was the breadwinner of the family.

What year was this?

This was in 2014.

Where is your dad?

My dad is alive, but my mother was the one taking care of the family.

How has life been since your mother’s passing?

Hmm… Life has been hard since she passed, especially as my dad is not really doing his work as a father. Everything is left for me and my siblings to hustle to make ends meet. We are just trying to survive.

When you said your father is not doing enough as a father, what did you mean?

My father is not capable of taking care of us.

Is he sick?

Yes, he is sick. He has been sick for many years, long before my mother’s demise. He has a heart condition, and because of that, he doesn’t do any hard work. He is just always at home because the doctors were very clear when they told him that he must avoid anything that would be classified as hard work. So, it has been me and my siblings struggling for the family.

We came together and gathered some money and opened a foodstuff business for him. That is what he does in Enugu. Although the business is very small and barely makes any profit, at least, my father can come out, interact with people, and make some sales so he will not just be lonely at home. He has been doing this business for a few years.

How many siblings do you have?

We are eight children. I am the second child. I have seven other siblings. Our last child should be around 11 years or so and he is still in school.

You mentioned you have an elder sister; where is she?

She is in Enugu. She is married with kids. She is a fashion designer. The burden of taking care of the family falls squarely on both our shoulders. My dad particularly relies on me so much and I have to do anything I have to do to provide, and all this was part of the reason I started sex work. My dad believed that, even if my siblings would not be able to give him any money for upkeep, I should be able to give him. We are really close.

How have you been able to live up to this responsibility?

Hmmm… It has not been easy. I was into food business. I sold food by the roadside in Enugu, but the business was not going as planned. It was not yielding much profit because the weight of the entire family was on it. It was from that business I took care of seven of my siblings and my father as well. The business collapsed before it even started. I also tried to do baking but it was not profitable to me. The money I was getting was not enough to take care of myself and my family.

It was around that period of my confusion that I was introduced to the ‘hustle’. I started hustling.

What do you mean by ‘hustling’? 

I started hookup (sex work) in Enugu but had to relocate to Asaba, Delta State. I didn’t work for up to one week before I relocated to Asaba.

Why?

It was someone who told me to move to Asaba. She said the business there would be more profitable than Enugu. I also wasn’t feeling okay there, because that is where my family is based. I was staying with my dad and had to lie to him every night and I didn’t like it. I had to just decide to either stop it and return to poverty or move to Asaba and make some money.

I had to lie to my dad that I had a job in Asaba. He was so happy. He told me to kneel and he prayed for me before I left. He doesn’t really know what I am doing there.

What year exactly did you move to Asaba?

I moved in January 2024. I have only been in Asaba for four months.

How much have you made in four months?

The thing is that it is not every day I normally go out for this kind of stuff. There is also an issue of police clampdown. They are everywhere here, disturbing us. I had to stop for a while because of the police palaver. They are really disturbing girls here. I was squatting with a friend of mine here but she drove me out of the house, saying that she couldn’t accommodate me if I was not bringing money into the house for some basic things. I became homeless for a while before I got to the place where I am squatting now. I pay N11,000 here every week.

In a month, I may hustle for just two weeks. The money that I get, I will try to save. The money that they are paying me here is not even big.

Related News

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•  Do you know her? Nigerian crowdfunders search for lady who embraced prostitution to raise goitre surgery fee

How much do you charge for your services?

I can tell a man that a night with me is N30,000. They will beat it down to around N10,000. If it is okay by me, I will go with the man.

What is the highest that you have been paid in a night?

The highest? I don’t know. If it is someone that I have looked at from afar and weighed his pocket, I can demand N50,000 or N40,000, and they may beat it down to N30,000 which is my regular charge. But, it is not that simple.

At what point did you notice that you had goitre?

It started developing in my body in 2022. I just woke up and noticed I had a swelling. I thought it was just neck pain or sore throat. I went to a pharmacy and got medication for a case of sore throat. But, it kept growing bigger. I carried it for the entire year and even into 2023. It was in 2023 that the pain became unbearable as the swelling got really bigger. It has been weighing me down. This is the major thing that made me say I must take it out.

It is really disturbing me. It is giving me reactions in my body.

Have you gone to the hospital?

Yes, I have. I did that in 2023. When I got there, the nurses said I would have to see the doctor. That day, I was unable to see the doctor because the crowd was too large. I had to leave. It was the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. But, the thing normally itches me on my skin. Sometimes, it will itch me and I will have to scratch my body even in public. It makes me so uncomfortable. It has also made me develop a difficulty in breathing.

How have you managed to do your sex work in this condition?

It is not really an easy thing for me. Most times, people don’t know I am sick. If I come out at night for my work, some guys will see me and ask me what happened to my eyeballs. My eyeballs are almost popping out of their sockets because of this goitre. If I tell them, they will just give me some money and go and carry someone else. But, some of them may not look at me very well and they will carry me. When I get to the hotel room, the pain in my neck will be much but I have no choice.

Once I lie down with it to start the job, I always feel excruciating pain, but I just deal with it. I brace up and focus on the money I am going to be paid, knowing that, once I gather enough money, I will stop the work. I have just been managing because nobody will feed me.

Sometimes, when the guys in the hotel room notice that I have a swollen neck, they will ask me what the problem is and they’d just give me some money and not touch me. Most of them are afraid that I may have some disease that they may contract. Some are also scared to touch me so I don’t die in their eyes.

How much did the doctors say it will cost to treat you?

Before I relocated to Asaba this January, I went to a private clinic in Enugu, and the doctor, after many tests, said it was a surgery that I required and that it would cost N700,000. This was earlier in the year, and I don’t know if this has increased. I also went to the hospital two days ago to see a doctor and he has done some scans on my neck, and gave me some medication to be taking while waiting for the test results. They said it will go on Monday, they will tell us the next thing to do.

Are your family members aware that this is the kind of work you do to bring in money for their upkeep?

My father and younger siblings are not aware. My elder sister is aware. She has not told me directly that she knows but I know she does. She is a lady, she knows ‘what’s up’. She knows I don’t have any job I am doing so there is no way I will be bringing in money if it is not through sex work. There are some things she tells me that make me really sad.

What do you want Nigerians to do in this matter?

God really knows my heart that this is not what I wish to do with my life. I want to become healthy and go back to my food business and baking. There is no day that I don’t use to pray for God to forgive me and send my destiny helper for me. God finally did it for me when I met this content creator, Comicmiss2, who interviewed me and published it on her Facebook page.

I remember that one prophet came to me when I was waiting for a customer one day and told me that if I didn’t stop this work, I would die untimely from it. I told him that I would not die because God knows it is not my wish or intention to do this work. This is why when most guys carry me, after giving me the money, they will take it and run away.

Are you promising that if the surgery is done, you will not go back to the streets again?

I am promising the whole world that once the surgery is done and I come out, I will quit prostitution. I have even quit since my story went viral and donations started pouring in. There is no gain in this business. No gain at all. I know many girls who have lost their lives on this job.

Doesn’t it scare you sometimes that you may end up dead like one of these girls you speak of?

It does, but what do I do? Life itself is a risk. I have had many bad experiences myself but I am glad I have not lost my life. Some men will carry me, and when I get to the hotel room, they will have sex with me and beat me up after that. Some will even beat me during intercourse because it is the way they enjoy it. Or, is the ones that will sleep with me and still do me fake transfer? More than once, guys have carried me and done fake transfers for me after everything.

One time, one guy carried me and paid me N25,000. While I was sleeping, he opened my purse and stole the money. So, he slept with me and still stole from me. Some will even beat you and collect the money back. Where do I even start? The street is a mixed breed. You will meet good people and bad people. Some people will just give me money and leave the hotel room for me. They will not even touch me.

Most of the girls doing this sex work have stories to tell. None of them likes what they are doing. They have killed many many girls on these streets. Many have gone missing, but God is still keeping me alive. God knows I want to stop it. I would not want my children to go into this business. It is not a good thing. “Hook-up” is not a good thing. Many people are doing it for a reason. I know how many times I have escaped kidnappers and ritualists.

Can you remember any particular incident?

No, I cannot. I don’t want to talk about that.

What advice do you have for people who feel ‘hook-up’ is the only answer?

I pray that God should have mercy on them. There is no life in this business. There is no gain at all. The best option is to quit. The money got from ‘hook-up’ is not good money; it disappears mysteriously. Whatever money they have made from the business, they should use it to do something for themselves. For how long do they want to continue doing it before they settle down? By that time, no man will even talk to you about marriage.

So, that means you still dream of a day when a man would propose marriage to you?

Of course, yes. Yes! I want to get married like other ladies outside there. Most girls get married on these streets. Most prostitutes get their husbands here. Good men! But, I won’t get my own husband from the streets. I want a god-fearing man. I have left ‘hook-up’ totally and god will give me my own good man.

 

 

 

The 20th child of the founder of Celestial Church of Christ, Worldwide, Olatosho Oshoffa, popularly known as Tosho is the shepherd of CCC International Headquarters, Ketu, Lagos. He speaks with IMOLEAYO OYEDEYI on some controversial issues surrounding the church and its founder, the late  Bilewu Oshoffa

How related are you to the CCC founder, the late SBJ Oshoffa?

My name is Olatosho Mathew Oshoffa. By the grace of God, I am the 10th son and the 20th child of the late founder of CCC. So, I am a real and proud son of Oshoffa for that matter.

Over time, there has been controversy about the CCC founder, especially regarding the number of wives and children that he has. Can you shed more light on this?

Well, this is no longer private. My father left this world on 10th September 1985. He left behind 13 wives and 53 children. Many people have said he has 100 children and so on. But no. We (The children) know ourselves and up till now, I can tell you that we know the number of wives that gave birth to this number of children for my father. So, we know ourselves and relate very well. There is one love in the family, no matter how many we are. The number of children is 53, but we are all in one love and one accord.

How possible is it for the entire 53 children of the CCC founder to be well connected and united as you said?

Let me tell you something, my dear brother. Our father, while on earth, used to gather us together and tell us, “Never say you are a son or daughter to any of my wives. But tell yourself, you are a son of Oshoffa.” This means he has used that girdle of love to tie us together. So we don’t see ourselves as children of our various mothers but as children of Oshoffa. And that is the same way we related when he (Oshoffa) was still in this world and has been doing after his demise. Even as of today, the remaining Oshoffa wives that were younger to my mother, I still refer to them as my mother, because of the love that our father (Oshoffa) has used to bind us together. So, we all remain one as SBJ Oshoffa children.

But given the scriptural position that a Bishop must be a man of one wife; don’t you think those condemning polygamous men of God are right?

Can I tell you something, my brother? You see, in that scripture, Paul was only advising. Tell me in the Bible, which prophet of God had only one wife? Do your research and tell me. Secondly, if God were to judge by the number of wives, my father would have been the first to be disqualified as the founder of CCC, because he was already having three wives before God called him. Yet, he was given the vision and mission to found CCC Worldwide. This year, it will be 76 years since the church came into being and it will also be 39 years since the founder left the church. But the church has kept on waxing stronger and stronger every day. So, if it was not the will of God, then, Oshoffa wouldn’t have been the first to be contacted.

I am sure in 1947, if there was a better candidate to found CCC, Oshoffa wouldn’t have been chosen. But because there wasn’t a better candidate, he was the only one that God found worthy to found CCC, despite having three wives. So those condemning my father should know that he never had any concubine. He married them (His wives) and they were all under his roof. But today, the so-called men of God with only one wife will have concubines outside. Which one is better? So, I will tell you that if God were to judge by the number of wives before sending a bishop or pastor on a mission, my father would have been disqualified because he had three wives before God called him. And thank God, the church he founded is still alive today, despite all the attacks here and there. The church remains one and keeps waxing stronger every day.

Based on this, what is the position of CCC on polygamy?

Based on this, anyone who desires to marry only one wife is allowed to do so. The church allows it. In the same way, the church does not have a law that binds a clergy to have only one wife. So you have a freedom. Maybe in the future, there will be a law that will bind us to have only one wife, but as of today, there is no law that binds a shepherd or prophet in CCC to marry only one way.

Does this mean that polygamy is not forbidden among the shepherds in CCC?

As of today, to be frank, polygamy is not forbidden among the clergies, the shepherds, or pastors in CCC. Tomorrow, there may be a law if God says so. But as of today, no law forbids polygamy in CCC.

About six different pastors claim to be the authentic spiritual head of the Celestial church. What is your take on this?

Let me assure you that this church came to sanctify and save the world. It was for salvation. Now, when the founder of this church departed, the same way Jesus Christ departed there were troubles among the apostles about who will lead. The same way as well that according to history the Catholic Church at a time had multiple Popes. But today, they have only one Pope after so many centuries. This is the same situation with CCC. After the demise of its founder, there was so much trouble. The apostles also faced the same challenges on succession as those of the Catholic Church.

Today, it is our turn. I believe that despite all the problems that we are facing today, a time is coming when the church will have only one leader. But as of today, the most acclaimed and accepted leader in CCC all over the world is the first son of the founder, my eldest brother, Rev. Emmanuel Oshoffa, who is based in Imeko, Ketu, and Makoko, the headquarters of the church. A time is coming when the church will become one again. It is our prayer that when that time comes, it will be during our time so that it will not happen when we might have passed away.

Are you saying that the church can still be united under one leadership despite the depth of the division within the fold?

We can still be united, my dear brother.

How?

I believe in one thing, which is dialogue. In Isaiah 1:18, God called all the people and said, come let us reason together. A time is coming, and it is not far again when we shall all reason together and see where our faults are. And believe me, we shall become one again when we sit down and reason together. It is my prayer once again that when that time comes, we shall be tools that God will use to give a way for our church to have one leader that will be accepted all over the world. I believe it is possible and it is my prayer that it should not be far. And we are working towards it. And that is the vision and mission of the Pastor, Rev. Oshoffa. So whether we like it or not, the church will be one again, because, without the oneness of the church, it cannot fully accomplish its mission. We have to be one. And God must enter the hearts of everybody to make us one because it (The church’s mission) is a task that must be achieved.

Does it seem the Cherubim and Seraphim churches also have similar divisions to that of CCC or is the situation different?

No, no. Let me tell you why we are different. During the time of Moses Orimolade, the founder of C&S, he was frustrated. He was so frustrated that on the day he was dying, he picked a bunch of brooms and scattered them, saying, “You C&S people because you have made me suffer this much, you will not be one anymore. He gave a collective curse to the C&S. But during the time of my father, the founder of CCC, he laid down individual curses. What was the curse? He said anyone that will divide my church, his ways, blessings, family, and inheritance in heaven shall be divided. That is an individual curse. And believe me, none of those who have a hand in the problem of this church has had a good end. It is always evil. You can see the difference. There was a collective curse placed on the C&S but an individual curse placed on CCC. That is why we still have room for reconciliation and oneness according to Isaiah 1:18. There is a big difference between collective curse and individual curse.

What are the efforts that Pastor Emmanuel Oshoffa has taken towards reaching out to other factional pastors in a bid to unite the fold?

I believe he is making his best efforts. No one is perfect. Let us put it that way. But recently, during the burial of my late younger sister, Arewa Deborah Oshoffa, the Deputy Pastor of CCC in Benin Republic, Babanla Shimi, sent by the CCC leader in the French country, met with Pastor Emmanuel after the burial. And they both spoke about the oneness of the Celestial fold. So, I believe that Pastor Emmanuel is trying in that area. He took over the leadership of the church on December 25, 2002, but he was enthroned on 23rd February 2003. I was his Personal Assistant for 13 years, so I know much about him.

When he became the Pastor, there were only a few parishes loyal to the CCC headquarters in Ketu, Makoko, and Imeko. But today, he has spent 21 years on the throne and many parishes have returned to his stream. I am not condemning other spiritual heads that are not in Ketu. No. As a leader in my little way, I cannot condemn anybody. That’s why whenever any parish returns to Ketu, Pastor Emmanuel never criticizes them; he will simply say, “Welcome to our father’s house.” So, I am not condemning anybody in his favor. And since every Celestial parish still prays with the God of Oshoffa, I believe the church still has a chance to be united. Already, despite having different leaders, our ways of worship, praying, singing and tenets have not changed. This means every CCC member is Papa Oshoffa’s child. Even the founder said so while he was alive. So for me, he has laid down the foundation of unity for the church. Based on this, I believe a time will come when the entire CCC members who are all Oshoffa’s children will come together and chart a way for the church’s unity.

Regarding your younger sister’s recent death that just you mentioned, what type of person is she, and what was the cause of her death?

My younger sister unfortunately has passed away. May her soul rest in peace. She shared the same father and mother with me. My sister, during her lifetime, fought for the unity of CCC. She was almost everywhere. Yes, she died at a prime age, 51, because we still have much older people who are still alive. God knows best. But let me tell you, death will always come with something once the time comes. Ecclesiastes 8:8 says, “At the time of death, no one can change, and no one can be saved again.”

That is, no one can be saved from the hands of death when your time comes. Her time came. Believe me, many people have said, how can an Oshoffa child die like that? If she had lived for 100 years, she may not have gotten such a befitting burial that would get wide acclamation from people. Believe me, she died at her appointed time to meet her creator. But the fact remains that death will always hold onto something. And yes, death held onto something in her case and we all knew it. Debby Oshoffa died and the page is closed. As a family and church, we are moving forward. But she will never be forgotten. As I said, death held onto something and she passed away. But let me leave it that way.

So you don’t want to share the ‘Something’ that her death held onto?

No, I cannot share it now, because it is still very fresh in the memory of the family. She was buried just two weeks ago. So, why should I be talking about her death now? She is my younger sister for that matter, not my elderly sister. So for now, I don’t want to say anything about Debby. She passed away at the time God wished, and the death took her because of something, which I don’t want to reveal now. But in the future, everybody will know it.

It has been widely reported that Pastor Emmanuel Oshoffa has been having a prolonged court case with the registered Board of Trustees of the church, who claimed that he does not have the legal right to dissolve them because they were appointed by his father, the CCC founder. How can this issue be resolved?

Yes, Pastor Mobiyina was appointed in 2002 and proclaimed as Pastor in 2003. But at times, some problems could have been avoided. But at the same time, these problems are here now and we are facing them. What can we do? I have said earlier that court case or not, a time is coming when we all will sit down in CCC and reason together. But believe me, these are problems that may have been avoided. I won’t say more than that. Whether on his side or not, these are problems that we shouldn’t have faced normally. But they are here already in our house. So, it is my prayer that we get a solution to it quickly.

I believe the solutions will come at the right time. It is my prayer once again that God will give us the wisdom to realise that we don’t need to fight each other. We are all children of Papa Oshoffa. We just need to come back home and reason together. And if we know that we are all true children of Oshoffa, please, let us come together and resolve the issue. I want to beg everybody, both the registered BOT and Pastor Emmanuel, that we should please come back home and reason together so that the church may become one.

Some people believe CCC is occultic and fetish. What is your reaction to this?

They said the same thing to Jesus and Papa Oshoffa. But the real Pentecostal church is CCC and I will tell you why. This is the only church where in every service, both during the week and on Sunday, we denounce occultism openly. We tell our members that we are not part of any occultic acts or sects, and none of them has the right to join any occultic sect. So, tell me, which other church in the world openly denounces occultic during its devotional services? It is only CCC. But because of the magnitude of the power of God in the fold, people tend to disbelieve it and claim it is not possible. This is the 76th year of the church on earth and testimonies have been recurring in the CCC parishes spread across the globe. But we are not a church that makes noise with its testimonies. So, we are not occultic. Let me give you an example.

Baba Ogunde, during his time, came to Papa Oshoffa early in the morning one day. Papa said, “Oh, I hope there is no problem.” Ogunde said, “Papa, I have said your name in every occultic group all over the world, but I thought you were using evil and that you belong to a secret cult with all these miracles you are doing. But I didn’t see your name on the list of occultic people. So, because of the power of God that you are using, I want to produce a film that will reveal the secret of the darkness.” And the film was called “Aye”. Ogunde now said, “Papa, I want to put my family and myself under the God that you are serving, so that no harm will befall us.

Meanwhile, if Pope John Paul  II could leave Rome in 1982 to come and visit Papa Oshoffa because of what he had heard about him that should tell you we are not occultic. We are a church of God, the Holy Spirit, and the real Pentecostal church.

CCC is a church I am very proud of and till my last breath, I will remain a member of the church. This is because what is not possible in other places is possible in CCC as it was through the blood of the lamb (Jesus) that the church was founded.

But people say Celestial church shepherds do involve themselves in diabolical things….

Yes, I call them intruders. Any CCC prophet or shepherd who deals with an occultic group is an intruder. Sooner or later, God will flush them out. But don’t forget, the Bible says, “Let the chalk and the wheat gross together. They are there and they are individuals. But the church as a body is a church of God. We may have one or two occultic people, but they do not belong to us. They are intruders and soon, God will flush them out.

Is it true that every member of CCC joined as a result of one problem or the other?

No, some people were born in the church. I was born in the fold. I didn’t come with any problem. Meanwhile, for those who joined the church, it may not be because of problems. Some people joined the church because of the white garment we wear and its neatness. Some other people also joined because of our hymns, while some joined because a prophet gave them a message. Many people have reasons for joining the fold, so I may not agree that all joined because of one problem or the other.

But have you ever heard that other Christians see Celestial members as inferior because they believe they are involved in using charms?

Yes, they do say that. But they are telling lies. And it is because they believe the CCC founder is not well-schooled. He didn’t attend any university. He didn’t take a Ph.D, and he didn’t pass through a theology school and all. But God said he would take what does not exist to confound what truly exists so that what exists may not be arrogant. This is because everything is not about books. It is on record that despite the CCC founder not being educated, God still made use of him and today, CCC is still standing. How many churches can do that many years after their founders passed away? But as I have said, people may say anything they like. They cannot still understand CCC, because the church is not of this world. Have you heard of how some people went and fasted for many days all because of CCC? But in the end, angels appeared to them and told them CCC is a divine church and you cannot fight it. It has come to stay and except people go spiritual, they cannot comprehend it.

Some months back, a popular investigative journalist, published a story that raised public eyebrows on how fake prophecies affect peoples’ lives. The CCC International Headquarters was one of the churches indicted in the report. What is your take on his report and what has the church done to address some of the issues he raised?

No. No. No. I won’t agree with that. It was a wrong thing. Have you heard of him again since then? I don’t want to talk about him. It is almost two years now. I won’t say he indicted us, no. He assumed because there was no proof. As God would have it, a year after, Ebenizeri came out from my choir, the CCC Apex Choir. It was exactly a year later. That is to tell you that though the report said something wrong about the church, the angel of the Lord came a year after to make amendments and glorify the church (Through the song). Today, the CCC International Headquarters is standing strong and it has changed. The Spirit of the Lord lives there and every day, the prophets, like in every other CCC parishes, still performs miracles and the spirit of the Lord is working. So no one can destroy what the Lord has not destroyed.

How are CCC shepherds paid? Is the headquarters in charge of every branch of your church or people are allowed to open their churches and just make remittances to the headquarters?

Before the CCC founder left, Celestial church shepherds were not paid a fixed salary. We are paid stipends. What does that mean? Every income realised in the parish monthly is divided into three parts. One stays in the parish; one goes to the headquarters; and one is divided among the shepherd and those working with him. So that is how we are paid as clergies in CCC. For now, we don’t have a fixed salary. But a law may come tomorrow that will fix the salary

 

 

 

Governors of the 36 states of the federation have agreed to work together to tackle epileptic power supply in the country, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

As part of measures to achieve this objective, the governors have agreed to take steps to break the monopoly of Discos in power distribution across the states.

In March 2023, then-President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the constitutional amendment allowing states in the country to licence, generate, transmit, and distribute electricity.

This was made known in a tweet by the presidential media spokesperson, Tolu Ogunlesi.

“President #MBuhari has signed 16 constitution amendment bills into law. By this signing, State Houses of Assembly and judiciaries now have constitutionally guaranteed financial independence, while railways have moved from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list.

“Another landmark change. By virtue of the presidential assent, Nigerian states can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity in areas covered by the national grid. (This) wasn’t allowed pre-amendment. This is genuine, realistic restructuring — through the constitution,” he wrote.

With the Fifth Alteration Bill No. 33, Devolution of Powers (National Grid System), Nigeria’s 36 states can now generate their own electricity.

President Bola Tinubu recently signed the Electricity Act of 2023 into law, marking an important development in the country’s electricity sector.

This Act aims to break the monopoly in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution at the national level.

The Act grants the power to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity to states, companies, and individuals.

In March 2023, Buhari had signed a constitutional amendment allowing states to license the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity.

Based on the amendment, Nigerians can now participate in the electricity supply business, which was previously the exclusive preserve of the FG, as administered by the stage regulator, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

States are required to create their laws and the state governors must sign those laws.

With the constitution amended, and the National Assembly having passed a law for the electricity sector in line with the amendment, the states will now proceed to establish their laws based on the constitutional amendment.

The 2023 Electricity Act, by virtue, allows anyone to construct, own, or operate an undertaking for generating electricity exceeding one megawatt in aggregate at a site.

Also, organised labour, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, has asked the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to work out modalities to break the monopoly of the power distribution companies (also known as Discos) in the country.

According to the labour unions, the discos, as currently constituted, are enjoying a monopoly in power distribution, making them ‘behave in ways that are untoward’ towards their customers.

The Deputy President of the TUC, Dr Tommy Etim, speaking with Sunday PUNCH, said the issue of estimated billing was killing the populace, stressing the need for all homes in the country to have metres.

He also noted that the new Electricity Act had made things easier for the country, as states could now own and run their own discos.

He said, “Labour also takes the position that every household should be metered. So that whatever anyone is paying will be known rather than estimated billing. Organised Labour frowns at the increase in tariff.

“Again, the continuous refusal to meter homes, even for those who have already paid for it for more than a year or more is unfair. We are not happy about it.

“We call on the Federal Government to ensure that those things are put in place, and states should begin to invest in power infrastructure in line with the new law signed by the former president, Muhammadu Buhari.”

NGF’s defence

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH on what the governors are doing, the Director General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Asishana Okauru, said governors were determined to tackle the problem of poor power supply in Nigeria by taking advantage of the power they now had with the Electricity Act (2023).

He said, “States are taking advantage of the new law on power.”

He noted that the NGF had taken a ‘leading and coordinating role’ in seeing to the implementation of the Electricity Act at the sub-national level.

“We have assisted the states as they grapple with the reality of establishing their electricity markets.

“To achieve this, we have set up a dedicated power desk at the NGF Secretariat, engaged consultants, facilitated the constitution of a Forum of Commissioners of Power in the 36 states, and engaged with stakeholders, local and international.

“Additionally, we have enlisted the support of donors who have shown a remarkable interest in working with the states through the NGF secretariat. There is still a lot of work to be done. However, we are on the right track.”

Last Monday, the Federal Government said it had commenced the restructuring of the 11 discos in the country.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed this while speaking during a visit of the Senate Committee on Power to the Ministry of Power and the Transmission Company of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday.

The government also ordered the sale of DisCos that had been taken over by banks and the Assets Management Corporation.

Five distribution companies are currently under the management of banks and AMCON due to their inability to repay their loans to financial institutions.

Five distribution companies are currently under the management of banks and AMCON due to their inability to repay their loans to financial institutions.

The Abuja DisCo is under the management of the United Bank of Africa, while Fidelity Bank manages the Benin DisCo, Kaduna DisCo and Kano DisCo.

The Ibadan DisCo is under the AMCON management.

Addressing the Senate Committee on Power on Monday, Adelabu said, “We are unbundling the DisCos along state lines.

“Some of the DisCos are too big for efficiency. They are too big for effectiveness. Ibadan DisCo covers seven states. It is practically impossible for them to be efficient.

“So, we are rearranging and restructuring the DisCos along state lines, so that each state government will know the responsible DisCo for their states. Also, the federal and state governments should start exercising their rights in the operation and management of the DisCos, because we still own 40 per cent of the firms.

“But, we have left it for the private sector operators for too long, and they have messed it up. The government must return to take over its rights in the DisCos. We are also planning to franchise the un-served communities under the DisCos,” Adelabu said.

He said the decisions on the DisCos had become necessary because the Nigerian Electricity Supply industry fails when they refuse to perform.

He added that the ministry would prevail on the Nigerian Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to revoke underperforming licences, and change the management board of the DisCos for non-performance.

“We will start seeing regulations about franchising. The fact that you are an Eko DisCo, for example, doesn’t mean that you cannot have smaller DisCos that are ready to invest in your un-served communities. So, we are looking at franchising.

“We are transforming the DisCos, and very soon, you’ll see that many tough decisions will be taken against these DisCos, because they are the last mile in the sector. If they don’t perform, then the entire industry is not performing,” he said.

Adelabu had said in December 2023 that the country got about 40,000 megawatts of electricity from generators powered by Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, and those run by Automotive Gas Oil, also known as diesel.

He disclosed this at the ministerial summit on the Integrated National Electricity Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan, while examining the key challenges to Nigeria’s electricity reliability through the prism of governance, adherence to rules/contracts, and finance.

Nigeria’s power generation and supply from its national grid revolves between 3,500MW and 4,500MW for an estimated population of 200 million people.

This, however, had yet to be achieved. Rather, according to the minister, Nigeria had continued to expend hundreds of billions of naira to generate electricity through diesel- and petrol-powered generators.

He stated that electricity consumption per capita in Nigeria was 140 kilowatt-hour in 2021, relatively low in comparison to neighbouring countries, and almost three times lower than the average for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Adelabu said, “Nigeria is a case study in deep electricity paradox. The country has grown to become the host of probably the world’s largest fleet of diesel- and petrol-powered generation capacity that is utilised for baseload supply.

“Various figures have been mentioned but it is safe to say that this fleet measures no less that 40,000MW of total capacity.

“At an average operating cost of no less than N250/kWh as opposed to an average economic tariff today of approximately N120/kWh (weighted between petrol and diesel generation), the daily cost of this extreme inefficiency in electricity supply in Nigeria is measurable in tens of billions of naira daily.”

Electricity palaver

Experts have noted that Nigeria has the potential to generate 12,522 MW of electricity from the existing infrastructure, but it can only manage about 4,000 MW.

Approximately 55 per cent of the population of over 200 million  does not have access to electricity, according to Statista.

For Nigeria’s population, this is grossly insufficient, according to statistics by PowerAfrica, a United States government-led partnership.

NLC’s view

An official of the Nigeria Labour Congress who did want his name in print said there was nothing wrong in allowing state governments to be involved in the large-scale generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity.

He added that decentralisation of the sector would enable the supply of electricity to be efficiently handled and distributed by the federating units.

According to him, the monopoly of electricity distribution companies on the distribution of electricity would be adequately managed if the state governments invested in the sector, saying the benefit of such would accrued to the citizenry.

“We are asking that the power of the Federal Government be decentralized, and that is why we talk about restructuring. It is also part of it, so that most of these responsibilities and powers of the federal government can be handled efficiently by the federating units.

“That particular law is meant to decentralise the electricity sector just like state governments can be involved in railway. I don’t see anything wrong in letting the state get involved in large-scale electricity generation, transmission, and distribution.

“If we are saying that they should take over electricity, I think there is nothing wrong with that. When the state governments are involved in the generation and distribution of electricity, it will be more efficient, and will be cheaply available to the citizens.

He further noted that state governments should invest more in the sector to make electricity cheap for Nigerians.

“Anything that can be done to make it accessible and cheaper for average Nigerians is a welcome development. Anybody canvassing for that is actually on the right path. What the Trade Union Congress said is right, because they are saying the right thing. But, the NLC has not taken any universal position on that,” he said.

We’ll protect consumers – Reps

The House of Representatives Committee on Power has pledged to intervene in the recent hike in electricity tariffs to protect the interest of Nigerians.

The NERC recently gave power distribution companies the liberty to increase tariffs, arguing that without sufficient investment in the sector, the nation could not be guaranteed a steady power supply.

Already suffocating from economic hardship made worse by the removal of subsidy from petrol by the Federal Government, Nigerians from all walks of life have described the recent hike as totally unacceptable.

At a recent power sector dialogue, which was held in Abuja, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, pledged to sponsor a bill for mandatory consultation on power-related matters between the legislature and relevant stakeholders.

“I will sponsor a bill to provide administrative procedures that entrench proper consultation and legislative review of the process for tariff setting in Nigeria’s electricity sector and other public services,” Abbas said.

In a telephone interview with Sunday PUNCH, the Chairman, House Committee on Power, Victor Nwokolo, said the parliament was on the side of Nigerians, noting that if at all there should be an increment in electricity tariff, there must be proportional improvement in power supply.

He said, “On May 2 or 3, the committee will meet with the Gencos and Discos, but we must make it clear that as lawmakers, we are on the side of Nigerians.

“There are a lot of issues to be discussed surrounding the delay in the categorisation of consumers into the various bands.

“Nigerians are willing to pay but the question is, how much should the increment be? Is there a guarantee that there would be an improvement in power supply, because even some consumers in Band A are complaining of poor supply?”

Speaking separately with our correspondent in Abuja, a member of the power committee, Sunday Umeha, said that as the people’s representatives, the lawmakers would not fold their hands and allow arbitrary increments in electricity tariff to go unchallenged.

Umeha, who represents Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency, Enugu State, noted that though the President Bola Tinubu-led administration might have its share of the blame, the parliament was in a hurry to intervene in the interest of Nigerians.

He said, “We are trying to have legislative intervention in the challenges affecting Nigeria’s migration to a multi-tier electricity market. We are coming out with resolutions on how to have a middle ground between the power stakeholders and Nigerians, who are not happy with the timing of the recent tariff increment.

“Today, we are battling with the economy. Nigerians are hungry and going through a lot of challenges. The increment of tariff in Band A will have a ripple effect on the rest of us.”

Umeha, who doubles as the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Justice, also noted that though not all electricity consumers were affected by the hike in tariff; the burden, he said, would be passed on to them in no distant time.

“If you look at it carefully, you will see Band A consumers as a group making use of power for industrial purposes. If they pay higher, they will add this cost to their outputs, and push the same to the masses.

“So, we are looking at a framework on how best the interest of the masses can be protected,” he added.

Speaking on the interface between the committee and the regulator, Umeha said, “What NERC told us was that if this tariff increase is not allowed, the power sector will collapse. The government has its problem, because they are not subsidising as required.

“In March, they gave a bill of N2.6bn, and the government ought to pay N2.4bn, but they didn’t. The Discos paid their N20bn as expected. Yet, NERC is saying that over N2trn is being owned to the power sector.”

According to him, there was a revolution ongoing in the sector already, particularly with the Electricity Act 2023, which empowers states to generate and distribute their own electricity.

“We have passed the stage of just talking and doing conferences. Enugu and Ekiti states have got the go-ahead, and we can see the work that Geometric Power is doing in Abia State. This is an indication that we are in the right direction,” Umeha further said.

Power experts support move

Commenting on the matter, a professor of Economics, Cletus Agu, lamented that the monopoly of distribution companies was adding to the already existing hardships experienced by electricity consumers.

He added that the problem in the electricity sector was that the discos were not carrying out their responsibilities efficiently, noting that it would be difficult for the government ‘to go back and appoint another group to compete with Discos. It’s going to be difficult’.

A public policy enthusiast at Meristem Securities Limited, Femi Oladele, said the development landscape across Nigerian state capitals had come under scrutiny.

“By improving connectivity, more towns can flourish, and existing ones can upgrade their amenities. The goal is to disperse development across the entire state, reaching even the most remote corners,” he said.

However, an economist at Lotus Beta Analytics, Shadrach Israel, said, “The capital-intensive nature of power generation poses a formidable obstacle for state governments.

“While we don’t expect states to become major power generators overnight, proactive efforts from state governors are crucial.

“Rather than relying solely on government funds, states should actively court private investors.

“A notable example is Aba, where a private company partnered with the Abia State government, resulting in reliable power supply and economic growth,” he said.

Additional reports by DIRISU YAKUBU, DANIEL ADAJI, TUNDE OYEKOLA