The speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has attributed challenges in the power sector to lack of patriotism by the stakeholders within the sector. Gbajabiamila averred this, yesterday, while declaring open an investigative hearing of the House ad hoc committee probing abandoned projects and review of government expenditure in the power sector from 1999 to date.
The speaker regretted that despite the large amount of funds appropriated by the National Assembly since the country’s return to democracy, the power sector has remained epileptic. “You will agree with me that since 1999 to date, the national assembly has appropriated huge sums of money in the power sector and there are lots and much desired from the sector.
he problem is you and me; we are not patriotic enough in the discharge of our responsibilities to our nation, Nigeria” Gbajabiamila, who was represented by the chief whip, Hon Mohammed Tahir Monguno, also expressed frustration that, “it is embarrassing that when you pick up a newspaper, what you read is probe, probe and probe; ‘many heads will roll; EFCC to investigate. “It is time in our nation-building to rethink and press the reset button on what we do, how we do them with a view to ensuring that we get value for the monies appropriated for projects”, he stated.
The speaker, who noted that while Nigerians are in every part of the world in search of stable power supply, good medical health facilities, quality education, also stressed that, “it is time we put our hearts into correcting all that is wrong so that we can create an enabling environment for our children.” He further declared that the National Assembly via it’s committees are at empowered by the constitution to invite individuals or organisations in the course of carrying out their duties in line with sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
Welcoming stakeholders to the hearing, the acting chairman of the committee, Hon Bello Kumo, urged stakeholders at the event to be “objective, truthful, and observe decorum throughout our sitting here, today.” In his presentation, the permanent secretary of the ministry of power, Mr Loius Edozien, assured the ad hoc committee that all the agencies in the ministry were prepared with documents to respond to any query.
On his part, the acting managing director of Rural Electrification Agency, Mohammed Wasala, informed that the agency inherited a total of 1,946 electrification projects from contactors since its inception, adding that 353 of those remain abandoned due to lack of funds and procurement in terms of process of variation.
Wasala also disclosed that the agency, through directives from the Ministry, is concentrating on completing those projects, as such, is not taking up new projects besides constituency projects of legislators. The hearing was adjourned to Wednesday.
