Puntland Govt Electricity Regulation Is A Joke

[Dr_Osman]

This issue has disturbed me for a long while. The electricity layout of our cities are disgusting, especially in the business districts of each city. You will see everyone just throw a cable around a pole with absolutely no care in the world. Where is Puntland Govt regulations on the electricity sector in the region? It is up to them to bring out policies illegalizing this unsafe practise and enforcing regulatory laws upon electricity providers regarding installing proper cabling in our cities. Sure their might be an increase in the electricity prices but it is alot more safer then how it is now not to mention how bad it looks on the city image.

 

A good example is this. This is a business area within garowe and see how poorly managed the electricity cables are.

 

 

This image is seen through all of puntland business districts in every city such as bosaso,garowe,qardho,galkayo,burtinle,etc.

 

What we need to be aiming for is this standard seen in garowe residential district.

 

I want to know why do somalis just do this? is it because it's cheaper then getting a proper pole which I can imagine it being that much more of an expense add on. Or are these private electricity suppliers doing this and trying to make electricity cheaper by neglecting proper standards? I don't know the reasoning behind it since their is a govt in place and why their not taking action.

 

Does anyone know the reasoning behind these horrendous electricity practises? is it motivated by a financial reasons or is it because of a lack of govt policing,regulating,etc. Or is it a combination of both? I just dont see the benefit in private electricity firms neglecting standards because seriously how much extra would it cost to get a few extra proper poles and rewire properly. It wouldnt be that much. I know due to a lack of regulations companies will find ways to cut around costs and it works cheaper if u have one pole with multiple cables connected then the standard 6 on a pole style. But surely the cost cant be that much it's just a pole for godsakes.

 

I urge Puntland govt to beging strict regulations on our electricity system and enforce all electricity providers to upgrade their current infrastructures to meet efficient regulatory standards and to warn new companies that their needs to be a minimum standard to be followed for any new installations in the future. Do you think it can be done? or do you think their will be a huge backlash from electricity providers?

 

[Homunculus]

Dr_Osman, do you live there? Why don't you go and try to fix your state?

 

 

[Dr_Osman]

Homunculus well usually in countries such as India, the reason for this sort of poor wiring is because of illegal connections to the electricity supply for poorer people in india but this is usually in slum areas of india or the poorest residential area not the business district. I see a total opposite in Puntland where it's actually the business areas that is doing this and not so much the residential areas.Are businesses committing power theft and getting an illegal connection in Puntland? I doubt so, I am sure they could afford it and I doubt the electricity companies would even tolerate such action since they dont tolerate it for residential homes to do it. Even in the poorests area of puntland such as IDP camps you wont see this behaviour of trying to get an illegal connection to the electricity supply so its obvious they are scared of the owners but the business areas do it with inpunity.

 

So I really want to know what is behind this poor electricity system, if you dont know just say so and dont troll. We know weak regulations from govt can allow for it to continue unabated and a lack of enforcement by turning a blind eye but what I want to know why are business areas getting away with it when even the residents and idps cant. You will always notice whereever those chatoic wiring is there is a business need by. Something fishy is happening.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

Long term strategy should be to tap into the abundant solar energy. Typical family bungalow of 6 bedrooms can be powered by a solar kit that costs approximately $1000 or less to install. That would certainly take care of the messy wires.

[Hawdian]

Dr osman, thank god im

Not the only who is concerned over this issue. I see another genius at work - solving tolkaa broblems - good on ya- now let me get back to this job of throwing bananas afte these daanyeers somebodygottodothis. Arrivadace

[Dr_Osman]

Hawdian, I always disturbed by it and thought surely someone in the administration can see the appauling standards occuring, but nope, noone is even discussing it in Puntland. It's quite amazing truly is to see the local administrations in cities talk about cleaning garbage, planting trees and other town planning iniatives yet totally ignore what's staring everyone in the face when they see Puntland towns. It is terrible for bilicda magaloyinka not to mention unsafe.

 

I think the only place in Somalia I heard someone even discussing it was hargeisa local councils which is a huge step forward in the right direction, all we need is one area in somalia to take the brave step and as we all know other somalis will follow like sheep. I am not sure if the hargeisa council is going to do anything about their problem, but I know they were discussing options and haven't heard anything ever since. Did the electricity providers threaten the local admin to stay out of it? I wouldn't be suprised at all.

 

I honestly think the only logical reason for these poor standards is because of the leap of private electricity companies especially the ones who operate as secondary electricity providrs like money transfer companies competing with each other and against primary electricity providers like NEC to bring down cost of electricity for end users and to gain e extra customers from primary/secondary electricity providers.

 

I give good props to NECSOMALIA it's one of the few electricity companies that actually does follow proper electricity standards in Puntland. I think a good solution for Puntland would be to investigate why this is happening, who is doing it, what reasoning is behind it, and action plans on bringing electricity standards up to minimum standard requirements. I think what NECSOMALIA is doing through its wind farms will radically reduce cost of diesel powered electricity and therefore can make them provide cheaper and safer electricity then secondary providers like hawalas and run them out of business.

 

If this NECSOMALIA wind farms is a success, I hope other primary electricity provider follow it across Puntland. I can't imagine the usability of solar panels in each home at those high initial costs, unless it's more affordable it's pointless. The Gas iniative to replace charcoal is very affordable and will replace charcoal because people will be able to afford it. There are already 2 companies operating in Bosaso providing, the more they become the pricing will also become more competitive and become lower as a free market dictates.

 

We need to really discuss this huge area of electricity in Puntland. No affordable and safe electricity will restrict development to local and diaspora forever. I can't see the need a multinational company has investing in a region where electricity rates and availability will outstrip them of their profit. Can you imagine running a highly intensive factory at $1 a KW? I surely wouldn't, its a bad business decision. Where-as in europe its like 8c or something? where would you go? It's obvious where-ever your profit margins are the highest.

 

Electricity is only one of the challenges facing Puntland development future there are multiple reasons why FDI won't come for a long while and electricity plays a major role in that but there are other reasons also like security, lack of investment protection or laws, government unfriendly policies such as high taxes and high regulation on how business operate on employee rights, wages, etc, no skilled market to recruit from due to the pathetic education system. Low health standards, no point hiring ppl that are dead at 40 because it just means more constant training and downtime for companies. Working life starts at 20 if your dead at 40 you only gave 20 years productivity compared to someone in europe that can give productive from 20 to 65.

 

But again that's not the issue at hand, I got sidetracked, the issue at hand is what are your suggestions to bring these poor electricity standards up to standard. Garowe for example is focusing on setting a street and numbering system in the city, which is awesome and good for the city planning, but what about the electricity when are we going to address this issue. Cause noone is even discussing it seems to suggest people are either content with it or are to scared to talk about due to businessmen threats.

 

 

 

 

[DoctorKenney]

Dr Osman, have you ever thought of Puntland removing some of their regulations and allowing private companies to start generating electricity in Puntland?

 

The demand for electricity is certainly there. Once electricity corporations see that their profit margins would be high if they opened up electricity-plants in Puntland, then this will cause an influx of foreign companies in Somalia.

 

As the supply increases, and the demand stays the same, then the price will drop massively. This is how electricity has become so cheap in America over the last 50 years or so.

 

And then this can encourage other businesses and factories to start opening up in Puntland, once the cost of business (ie. electricity, labor, security) drops.

 

 

Electricity should never be handled by the Government. Governments are naturally inefficient, corrupt, and unable to meet the demands of their citizens. What do you think?