Reps summon ministers, BPE, others over sale of power plants

The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Finance, budget and National Planning, and the Minister of Power, over the planned sale of five power plants belonging to the three tiers of government.

Others summoned are the Director-General for the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE), the Managing Directors of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, and Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company.

In letters to the agencies and made available to newsmen on Sunday, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, James Abiodun Faleke, said the process for the sale was unconstitutional.

Faleke added that it was also a disservice to the nation’s development and sharing equity among the three tiers of government.

The letters read in part: “The House of Representatives has observed with grave concern the proposed sale of the 5 National Integrated Power Plants (NIPP).”

They are Benin Generation Company Ltd, Calabar Generation Company Ltd, Geregu Generation Company Ltd, Olorunsogo Generation Company Ltd, and Omotoso Generation Company Ltd. proposed by the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE).

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According to the lawmaker, this was without due regard to constitutional principles and economic policy that informed the establishment of those power plants.

He further decried the proposed sale as unconstitutional and a disservice to all known principles of national development and the sharing equity among the three tiers of government.

“Considering the critical role your agency is playing in sustainable energy sector in the country, you are please requested to stop all further processes regarding this transaction.

“You are to submit the following information for the committee’s determination of the way forward,” Faleke stated.

He said the committee was demanding from the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company a breakdown of the capacity and monthly income of all the power plants.

He added that full disclosure of all the power plants that had taken or paid agreements as well as electricity consumed and not consumed from inception should be included.

He also requested information on all agreements with the power plants on take or pay basis, approvals needed by the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company Board, the Federal Executive Council, and others.

The Star