Reps, power stakeholders set up panel on proposed 2-month free electricity to Nigerians

The House of Representatives and stakeholders in the power sector on Thursday agreed to set up a joint implementation committee on the proposed two-month free power supply to vulnerable Nigerians.

The Federal Government and the leadership of the National Assembly had reached an agreement earlier in the month, to set up modalities for the proposed two months free electricity to vulnerable Nigerians, to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on the citizens.

Thursday’s meeting was attended by the Minister of Power, Mamman Sale; the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), James Momoh; Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), Marilyn Amobi, and the representatives of Distribution Companies.

Also at the meeting were the Leader of the House, Alhassan Ado Doguwa; Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno; Deputy Leader, Peter Akpatason; Deputy Chief Whip, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, and the Chairman, House Committee on Power, Magaji Da’u Aliyu, among others.

In his presentation at the meeting, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila said the joint panel’s mandate is to work out modalities for the proposed two-month bill waiver for the most vulnerable people in the country.

According to him, the panel is also expected to identify the group of Nigerians to benefit from the arrangement, the number of households connected to the national grid and proffer solutions to the perennial power problem in the country.

He added that the essence of the meeting was to find a way of cushioning the socio-economic effects of COVID-19 on Nigerians during and after the crisis period through power supply.

The Speaker said: “We are here to find out how we go about it. I’m happy that in my previous engagements with the NNPC GMD, he was very interested in the matter.

“Whatever the issues are within the power supply chain, they have to be dealt with and set aside, but how we deal with the issue at stake is why we are here today.

“This is not about technicalities or blaming any part of the power supply value chain; it is just about how we find a solution.

“The objective is very simple: we are asking people to stay at home for several days or weeks, so we need to make their stay at home comfortable. We need to help the poorest of the poor at this time in Nigeria.

“How we go about it is why we are here today. So, the mandate is very simple with all the stakeholders here. I believe that the best stimulus that we can give our people right now is the supply of electricity to the very vulnerable households.

“Even if we agree that this proposal as an investment scheme according to the power sector stakeholders, I think we need to keep our eyes on the ball. What is that ball? Get to the end-user, who is the beneficiary of that investment scheme.

“I wouldn’t want to look at it as the DisCos or GenCos or even the Transmission Company as the beneficiaries. For me, the ultimate beneficiary is the Nigerian people.

“If that is what the investment scheme takes, to supply power, it may not be 100 percent, but let’s say 70 or 80 percent, then we would have succeeded.

“So, we set up a group that will look into all the possibilities and implications and come up with a solution, so that the Nigerian poor can be taken care of during this period.”

READ ALSO: Akwa Ibom extends COVID-19 lockdown by one week

In his remarks, Mamman, said the federal government is ready to contribute to the success of the proposal, saying, “We will give all the support as well as technical advice toward the realization of this objective. We are ready whenever our input is needed.”

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