AS HOUSE CONSIDER POWER INVESTIGATION REPORT.
By: Kayode Odunaro
It has been long in coming. After the dramatic revelations that attended the House of Representatives Committee on Power’s investigation into Power Sector Reforms of the last administration and the numerous obstacles placed on the way of the presentation of the report of Hon. Ndudi Elumelu at plenary, the House has fixed Wednesday, March 18, 2009 as a definite day for the consideration of the report and its recommendations. The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole announced the date during plenary on Thursday, March 12, 2009 after asserting that all members of the House had the report and would have been able to digest its contents.
The journey to this point and issues involved bears reiterating if only to ensure that the deliberations by legislators would be guided by the sole aim of bettering the lives of our people in this all important sector of our national life. Over the years, the power sector has suffered serious neglect and with burgeoning population and development, blackouts and epileptic power supply become a norm in the society.
With the dawn of democratic rule in 1999, it was expected that a wind of change will blow over the power sector to ensure the supply of this critical factor of our national development and human welfare. Eight years down the line and with billions of dollars (actual figures really do not matter now as various figures has been bandied) expended, there is no commensurate result either in terms of increased mega watt or the one appreciated by majority of Nigerians, regular power supply. This have not only a disastrous effect on our economy, it often makes the difference between life and death and unaccountable members of Nigerians lost their lives due to epileptic power supply.
Enter the House of Representatives pursuant its constitutional investigative power of oversight. It mandated it committee on power to investigate the scandalous pumping of billions of dollars to the power sector with negative results. Nigerians and indeed the international community were witness to the investigative hearings as it was on telecast worldwide. Much revelations on how we end up with darkness inspite of spending billions of dollars, fraudulent and sharp practices came to fore and it was clear some high ranking officials share in the blame in form of action and inaction and indeed misappropriation and stealing.
This group of Nigerians and their private sector collaborators like contractors, consultants and other front men did not sit idly by. They fought back and did everything to rubbish the investigations using a well funded media campaign. When all such media propaganda to explain away the engulfing darkness over the nation inspite of billions of dollars to ensure light failed, they use all form of strategies--bribery allegation, the judiciary, blackmail, lobby etc - to delay the presentation of the report to the House. Alas, that also failed as Hon. Elumelu presented the report in due course.
But “agents of darkness” don’t give up easily. They contrived all manner of distractive plots, including fraud scandal on the House purchase of cars for committee’s oversight functions to destabilize the House and prevent its consideration of the report. That plot has also kissed the floor and the report will be consider, God willing as announced by Bankole.
As the report and its recommendations are considered, it is apposite to reiterate as Bankole has done severally that the investigations of the House are not meant to witch-hunt persons or corporate organizations. It is pursuant of the mandate of the members of the House to represent Nigeria and provide legislations for improving their living conditions. And the recommendations of the House if adopted are not punitive in nature as they are primary meant to prevent future occurrence of lapses/inefficiency/lack of planning’s as well as inform future legislative action to ensure better outcomes for all budgeted funds for people-oriented project.
With this in mind, it is left for our Honourable members of the House, to consider the interest of the people that elected them uppermost while deliberating on the report whatever its shortcomings as some are daily arguing it has. The fact remains that billions of dollars went down without commensurate results in terms of desired outcomes-energy/light.
Another fact is that epileptic power supply with its attendant effects on our economy and people still afflicts the nation till date. How to better this situation should inform the debate on the report of power Investigations and not some apology for some selfish interests that has held the nation in bandage of darkness in literal and figurative terms.
On a positive and interesting note, the Federal Government just recently announced a $50 billion package for the power sector. As the House deliberate, the Elumelu Report, it should be cognizance that measures have to be in place to ensure that this huge sum of money do not go the way of the previous billions. Indeed, its deliberation should result in recommendations for avoiding obstacles/shortcomings that led to the apparently failed effort of power reforms of the last administration. And the House should ignore the media spin of the FG rejecting the Power Investigation of the House, which recommendations it has not even received. This is yet another spasmodic dying kick of those who want to abort the birth of power report of the House.
Chief Kayode Odunaro
Special Adviser, Communications
Speaker, House of Representatves
