The House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee for a comprehensive investigative hearing on how much money has been sunk into the power sector reform programmes over the years without commensurate results.
The resolution followed the consideration of a motion on the need to review government’s expenditure in the power sector to ensure the sustenance of the power sector reform programmes in Nigeria, which was moved by Hon. Sada Soli Jibiya (Kaduna, APC).
The lawmaker, who moved his motion against the backdrop of the lamentation of President Muhammadu Buhari to the effect that billions of dollars had been spent without commensurate results in the generation, transmission and distribution of power supply in the country, noted that investigative hearing had been conducted by the House in 2008 over the alleged spending of about $16 billion dollars on the power sector.
“The investigative hearing revealed that contracts awarded for the Kainji, Egbin, Afam and Ugheli power stations as well as 9 other such contracts totaling up to $142 million dollars were never executed.
“Contracts awarded of over $50 million dollars to companies that did not exist and that two billion dollars ($2bn) worth of energy contracts were also awarded without bidding and due process,” Soli alleged.
Relying on the provisions of Section 88 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which empowers the House of Representatives to expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it, the lawmaker said wants the sector investigated.
He expressed worries that up to date no person, company or agency of government involved in the alleged misappropriation of such huge sums of billions of dollars has been prosecuted; despite the perennial epileptic power supply and its associated socio-economic consequences for the nation.
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