Stories by Olabisi Olaleye
Nigeria is identified as the largest growing telecommunications market in the world by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), yet the country has poor electricity to compete favourably among world powers.
Despite the hype of Nigeria’s telecoms dexterity, many things are still not right. And by 2017, the country would finally switch over to a digital platform where setup boxes would be the game changer.
Currently, many electrical gadgets including setup boxes are becoming mere furnitures because most of them have become irreparable, according to a source at the MultiChoice office in Lagos.
From StarTimes to Multichoice various outlets, there are several decoders that have refused to come up because of the issue of epileptic power supply.
Some of the people who spoke to Daily Sun said they were advised to get a new decoder because it may no longer work at its optimal strength.
According to Mr. Iyiola Mustaafa, his attention was drawn to the bad decoder by one of his children and when he get to one of their offices on the mainland, he was advised to buy a new one, which has a three months promo on it.
“It wasn’t just me, many others like that were advised to do same too”.
Another subscriber, Nnamdi Ibeto also disclosed that most decoders are becoming unrepairable.
The question on many lips is, if decoders are not functioning well owing to one reason or the other why aren’t the technicians up to their game in ensuring that the issues are tackled via technology.
Onome Atufe, an industry watcher noted that the issue boils down to bringing in goods that cannot be managed.
“We should also look at sabotage, where these technicians may want quick money, collect the old , give out a new one at an higher price. But will later repair and sell out to other people to make extra income.It may sound funny but that is my take because I don’t understand why 85 percent of decoders cannot be repaired by technicians,”he said.
Although, the Buhari-led administration has assured its citizens of a rekindled hope where electricity is concerned.
Meanwhile, While conducting the Minister, his entourage and other stakeholders on a tour of the different lines of production in the factory, the Group Managing Director of Omatek Ventures Plc, Mrs. Florence Seriki, said while power generation and distribution have been a major issue in the country, leveraging solar power solutions would play a significant role in dealing with the issue of power vacuum in the country.
Minister of Works, Power, Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola recently said the solutions to the current power challenge is the adoption of hybrid solutions and power reduction strategies as it is done in Ghana.
Seriki explained to Onu that the company has further expanded its investment in latest and modern solar factory in order to provide the assistance needed towards ensuring that the federal government delivers enduring power supply to Nigerians.
Omatek maintained its readiness to play a key role in the power provision for the country.
Seriki demonstrated that the 50KVA three-phase off-grid solar solution commissioned earlier in its factory will provide a 24/7 power.
“This will result in 85 per cent reduction in power consumption for factories, banks, telecoms firms, government and other organisations that require big solar power installations, while adding that its Lagos factory currently assembles locally the 12 watts, 20 watts, 500 watts power solutions.
“The power solutions replace the ‘I-better-pass-my-neighbour generators’ for small homes, shops, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), churches, rural electrification and rural system, street lighting implementation, schools and for students, farmers among others.” She said, stressing that there was no reason for students to still be reading using lantern in the new digital age.
According to her, “Omatek is ready to partner with the federal government to offer affordable power solutions to communities and rural areas as part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda of finding a lasting solution to the perennial power problems in the country.”
The Omatek boss said that the entry cost has reduced since the company has reduced the consumption required by about 85 per cent, saying Otakek has also engaged in the local production of LED bulbs that has reduced power consumptions by 75.90 percent with Omatek LED bulbs installed to power 24 blocks of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last year.