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FG panel blames poor maintenance for grid collapses
The Federal Government has revealed that a poor maintenance culture and inadequate and aged equipment, among other challenges, are the underlying reasons for the incessant multiple collapses of the national power grid witnessed in recent months.
It also stated that the high voltage of electricity surpassing the capacity of its equipment caused the blackout witnessed on October 14 and 19, 2024.
The Chairman of the investigative committee probing reasons for grid collapse, Nafisatu Asabe Ali, revealed this during the report presentation at ministry headquarters on Wednesday in Abuja.
This came barely 24 hours after the latest collapse that occurred on Tuesday, making it the 10th time the national grid would collapse in 2024 alone.
According to her, the investigative team observed similar challenges and problems affecting all stations during its probe.
She said the investigative team examined the grid collapse incident that occurred on October 14 and 19 and found out that the shattering of lightning arrestors in Jebba and Oshogbo transmission stations and the explosion of a CT also in Jebba Station were reasons for both incidents.
According to her, “For the event on the 14th, lightning arrestors in Jebba and Oshogbo shattered. The one in Jebba was for the shunt reactor and this was caused by high voltage. Subsequently, we had the tripping of multiple 330kV lines. It kept going until it became major.
“The remote cause of that is the unavailability of the second reactor in Jebba, and that is because Jebba, by the design of the network and sometimes the topology of the network at a particular time is very prone to high voltage.”
We had two shunt reactors in Jebba before this event, however, one packed up. It is faulty, and so the voltage rose to about 400KV, which is beyond the threshold. High voltage degrades equipment insulation.
“If you expose equipment to high voltages for a long time, it degrades the insulation. And, of course, there’s a risk of failure. So, that was a remote cause for that. But the underlying causes are aged equipment. In our findings, we confirmed that Jebba was commissioned in 1968. Some of the equipment was commissioned alongside the substation. So, aged equipment. And maintenance culture is also an issue.”
The committee listed several factors affecting the management including vandalism of power infrastructures, lack of free governors at power generation plants, uncoordinated maintenance schedules, and lack of adequate human capacity.
Responding to this, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said the ministry would push for additional funding from the 2024 Supplementary Budget and the 2025 Appropriation Bill to resolve the financial implications of strategies needed to curb the incessant grid collapse.
He expressed optimism that the frequent collapses of the Nigerian power grid system could be curbed with the implementation of far-reaching reforms, stating that “this incessant grid collapse, which is quite unfortunate and is worrisome to me personally as the Honorable Minister of Power overseeing this sector.”
Adelabu added that he would present an amended report to aid his submission to Tinubu owing to the financial implications.
He said, “Today’s meeting is to receive a report on the agency committee set up about two and a half weeks ago, to reveal the root cause of the incessant grid disturbances that we have experienced in the past few months. This is not good for us as a country. It is not good for us as a power sector. It is not good for us as a ministry of power and other agencies.”
The committee also listed recommendations for the audit and tests of existing equipment and improvement in maintenance of the transmission equipment and lines, installation of harmonics filters by Disco and Genco customers, decentralisation of TCN central store, enforcement of Free Governor Mode of Operation and removal of ad-lash taped optic fibre for Optical Ground Wires.
Adin Ross, an American social media influencer and streamer, has won more than $1,600,000 after placing a bet on Donald Trump, the nominee of the Republican Party, to win the presidency.
Prior to the election, Ross revealed on Instagram that he had wagered $1 million on Trump.
After Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, Ross took home $1,600,000 from the bet.
Ross endorsed Trump during one of his live-streaming sessions a few weeks ago.
Donald Trump is the oldest American president ever elected. He is 78 years old.
Authorities of National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) has approved the appointment of Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana as Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA).
According to the letter dated 6th November, 2024 and signed by NASC Executive Chairman, Engineer Ahmed Kadi Amshi, his appointment takes effect from 2nd February, 2025.
While noting that Barrister Ogunlana’s appointment was in recognition of his hard work and administrative competence, the NASC Executive Chairman tasked him to continue to uphold the confidence reposed in him.
The appointment of Barrister Ogunlana followed the pre-retirement notice sent by the Commission to the incumbent CNA, Sani Magaji Tambuwal, notifying him of his retirement from the service of the National Assembly effective 2nd February, 2025.
The Commission also notified the outgoing CNA of the appointment of Barrister Ogunlana as his successor at its 610th meeting held on Wednesday, 6th November, 2024.
According to the Commission’s letter, Barrister Ogunlana would oversee the office of the CNA “while working closely with you to ensure smooth transition until he takes over from you as the substantive Clerk to the National Assembly on February 2, 2025.
Kamoru Ogunlana, an indigene of Omu-Ijebu in the Odogbolu LGA of Ogun State, was born on June 22, 1967, in Tiko town, South-West, Cameroon.
He holds a degree in Law from Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye, attended the Nigerian Law School in 1989/1990, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990.
He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and International Bar Association (IBA).
Barrister Ogunlana began his career with the National Assembly Service on October 4, 1993, as a Litigation Officer II in the Legal Services Department.
After the inauguration of the 1st National Assembly of the 4th Republic on 8th June 1999, Barrister Ogunlana was converted to a Legislative Officer and re-deployed in the House of Representatives as a Committee Clerk by the management of the National Assembly.
He serves as the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, a position he attained on the 29th March, 2023.
Before his appointment as the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Barrister Ogunlana served in various capacities in the National Assembly Service: Director, Legislative Scrutiny and Research Department, House of Representatives (February 2017 – August 2020); Director, Committee Services Department, House of Representatives (August 2020 – April 2022); Secretary, Legal Services Directorate (April 2022 – March 2023).
In addition, he was for several years the Clerk to the House of Representatives Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Justice, Federal Judiciary, and the National Assembly Joint Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the Constitution.
Barrister Ogunlana had undergone extensive trainings as a Legal Officer and a Legislative Officer both internationally and locally, establishing himself as a seasoned draftsman and Legislative Officer.
He participated in the conception and drafting of several major bills passed by the National Assembly from 1999 to date.
Barrister Ogunlana is a God-fearing, family-oriented person who enjoys football, watching combat sports, travelling, and reading.
Clergyman, Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, aka Odumeje, has claimed that TikTok disconnected him because of his dangerous miracles.
The clergyman made this known while addressing his congregation on why he was blocked on the video-sharing platform.
Speaking in a clip, the cleric noted that he has performed a lot of what he described as ‘dangerous miracles’ that the platform is afraid of.
He accused those who don’t believe in his miracles of preventing him from having an account.
Odumeje said, “Even social media is rejecting me. Because of my dangerous miracles the TikTok rejected me. They disconnected me. They said this miracle is beyond them.”
Adin Ross wins $1.6m after betting on Trump to win US presidential election
NASC appoints Kamoru Ogunlana as Clerk to National Assembly
‘TikTok yanked me off because of my dangerous miracles ‘ – Odumeje claims
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