Eko Hot Blog reports that the Nigerian Army has voiced frustration over the inadequate and unreliable power supply afflicting the Ikeja Military Cantonment in Lagos.
This comes as the Federal Government has allocated N12.7 billion for a mass metering project aimed at installing meters across all Army formations nationwide.
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During the flag-off of the metering exercise at the 9th Brigade headquarters in Ikeja on Saturday, the commander, Major General A.M Adetuyi, lamented the “epileptic power supply” the brigade has endured. “When I investigated, I found out that we were only being given three hours of electricity daily, and on some days, we do not even get supply,” he stated.
The metering initiative was welcomed as a potential solution. “We also discovered that we were always being given estimated bills, though we would not have minded if power supply had been regular. However, this commendable metering project has gladdened our hearts,” Adetuyi said.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who oversaw the launch, explained that the N12.7 billion released so far is part of a larger N40 billion allocation for the mass metering project. “For the current exercise, the sum of N12.7 billion has been released out of a total of N40 billion for the mass metering project,” he stated.
Adelabu outlined the objectives, saying, “The mass metering in Army formations nationwide will enable us to know what is being consumed on a monthly basis in order to ensure appropriate billings and ease collections.” He added, “The overall intention was to eliminate [estimated billing] and make it a thing of the past.”
The minister revealed that the smart meters being installed are tamper-proof to prevent energy theft, and they allow interconnectivity between grid and off-grid solar power sources. “Where we have grid supply, we can interchange between the grid and solar supply if we are not satisfied with the number of hours supplied by the distribution companies,” Adelabu stated.
Ashade Olatunbosun, CEO of De Haryor Global Services overseeing the metering project, said the second phase will commence in Abuja and Enugu simultaneously. “Army formations under Jos, Abuja, Ibadan, Enugu, Kaduna, Ikeja, and Eko distribution companies will benefit from the exercise,” he said.
Adelabu emphasized that the metering program aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” to prioritize electricity supply to the armed forces. “This is one of Mr President’s objectives to ensure that electricity supply to the armed forces is prioritised and they do not suffer, especially in the enjoyment of public utilities,” he said.
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The six-week exercise aims to address longstanding issues of estimated billing and erratic power supply that have plagued military bases, hampering operations. By metering consumption accurately, the government hopes to enable appropriate billing, eliminate energy theft, and explore alternative power sources like solar for remote locations.
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