Connect with us

Business

FASHOLA TO GENCOs: Be ready to also face Nigerians in public court

Published

on

FASHOLA TO GENCOs: Be ready to also face Nigerians in public court

Irked by a court action against the Federal Government by power Generation Companies (GENCOs), the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has challenged the power company to be ready to face Nigerians in the court of public opinion.

The GENCOs had in their suit accused the Federal Government of conferring preferential treatment on Azura Power West Africa Limited and Accugas Limited to the detriment of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry and the power sector as a whole.

But speaking at the 25th monthly meeting with operators in the power sector hosted by Ibom Power in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Fashola argued that GENCOs should understand that while it had the right to go to court, it should also be ready to face the court of public opinion.

Fashola further asked them to be courageous enough to tell the court that they too were indebted to the gas companies, that they have received 80 per cent of their bill and that the Federal Government released N701 billion to them to settle gas debt.

Adding that he was not afraid of going to the law court over the matter, he however frowned and warned against the alleged plot by GENCOs to scuttle the current efforts being made to improve on electricity supply in the country.

“Lately, I have read reports that some Generation Companies, GenCos (not Ibom Power) have gone to court, filing claims against the government. That is their right and their prerogative. It is better than self-help, and it is consistent with the rule of law, which underpins our democracy.

“While they seek refuge in a court of law, they must be ready to face scrutiny in the court of public opinion. The court of public opinion is a court of conscience and morality. In the court of public opinion, they must be ready to tell the citizens how they felt when other groups went to court to stop the implementation of tariffs approved by NERC in 2016.

“They must explain to this public court whether they went to court before government approved a N701 billion payment Assurance Guarantee to pay their monthly power bills. They must disclose to this court that they owed debts, from the pre-Buhari era, because their income had reduced to less than 50 per cent.

“They must disclose to this court that they now receive about 80 per cent income, and that this government is now paying them revenues collected from international customers from the Republics Benin, Niger and Togo, in dollars, as against the naira payment they used to receive,” Fashola said.

According to Fashola, GENCOs should be ready to disclose to both courts how they felt when some DisCos went to court to stop the enforcement of Provision of Promissory Notes, which was a condition that denied them access to the CBN low interest loans.

Fashola said: “They must tell the court of public opinion that the reason for going to court is because government is making 100 per cent payment to a new GenCo which has a different contract with a Partial Risk Guarantee, which they do not have.

READ ALSO: Consumers to pay more for alcohol, tobacco as Buhari approves new excise duty rates

“They must also disclose to both courts that they held a meeting with government and tabled their demands, which government promised to look into one week before they went to court.

“They must, in good conscience, tell the two courts whether one week was enough time to go to court and whether this action at the time when the sector is making progress does not suggest an intention to blackmail government and hold the citizens hostage.”

On the alleged plots by GENCOs to disrupt power supply he said, “Let me say very clearly to all operators that I get reports of many of the clandestine meetings that some of them are holding with a view to disrupt supply for political capital.

“I will close by imploring those that are truly ready to run the business they have acquired voluntarily to continue to do so with the assurance of government support and partnership. As for those who entered the business without understanding it, please brace up for hard work and help us rebuild this country.

“Those who choose to hide temporarily in the courts of law can do so, but the court of public opinion will scrutinise you and its verdict may be very scathing, unkind, and enduring. I say this because you may not have noticed that Nigerians are increasingly taking their destiny in their hands.”

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now