The Minister of Power, Works and housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has asked the Nigeria Immigration Service to investigate the Managing Director of Egbin Power Plc, Mr. Dallas Peavey Jnr., an American, over his visa and work permit status in Nigeria.

Fashola, who disclosed this at his 19th monthly meeting with operators in the electricity industry in Lagos on Monday, alleged that the Egbin Power Plc boss entered the country on August 16 without a visa.

Accusing the American of working against Nigeria’s interest, Fashola alleged that Peavey had lied about the quantity of power being produced by the company, the capacity of the country’s transmission system and the amount of debt owed electricity companies by government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Fashola said Peavey had ignored his directive that the industry should project hope rather than pessimism, adding that he had told visitors that came to Egbin from America lies about the Nigerian electricity industry

Sounding sarcastic, Fashola said the time had passed when it was only Americans who would know if there was a problem in Nigeria.

He said, “It is true that there was a time in our recent past that only Americans would know if there was a problem in Nigeria. That time has passed. So, we know that when Mr. Peavey told his visitors that his employers could not evacuate 700MW from Egbin power plant and blamed TCN, he was lying at worst, or at best, was being bombastic.

“We know because this government is constantly working to maintain records, accurately and transparently in the power and other sectors. Therefore, on the 2nd of September, 2017, around the time when the news was reported, Egbin’s peak power production was 344 MW (and the average power production was 336MW). This is less than 50 per cent of the 700MW in the report credited to Mr. Peavey that his company could not evacuate.”

He added, “We know that Egbin has six turbines of 220MW each, with an installed capacity of 1,320MW. It was the first power plant I visited when I was appointed a minister. We know that three turbines, ST1, ST5 and ST6 are not functional; ST6 for undisclosed faults and ST1 and ST5 for maintenance. So Egbin Power Plc was not producing 700MW at the time.

“What Mr. Peavey should have told his visitors is that the TCN’s wheeling capacity has exceeded over 6,500MW. These are also reported at our monthly meetings.”

He continued, “As if these were not enough, my attention has been brought to allegations to the effect that Mr. Peavey is inciting other GenCos to refuse to comply with grid codes and regulations made pursuant to the Electric Sector Power Reform Act of 2005 prescribing frequency levels of operation for power generating companies.