THE House of Representatives Committee on Power has heard that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Regulatory Commission (NERC) refused to release statutory surplus, dues from customer’s turnover and licensees’ to the fund.
Rural Electrification Fund (REF) of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) spoke when it sought the committee’s help to sort out the matter.
The fund’s Executive Director, Dr. Sanusi Ohiare, said NERC had been complaining that market shortfall was affecting its remittance to REF.
The executive director told lawmakers that the law obliges the commission to declare its account and determine surplus from it for remittance to the fund.
He said with N400 million, REF was the least funded fund in the country.
Ohiare said other organisations with similar mandates were well funded.
He spoke at the weekend in Abuja at the REA-NASS workshop on Rural Electrification Programmes: Legislation, Implementation and Sustainability.
He said: “NERC is supposed to determine a certain amount that should come to the agency. The funny thing is that they are complaining there is liquidity challenge in the market. Yet, they (NERC) are paying themselves.
“After they (NERC) declare account every year, the surplus from NERC should come to REF. The major one is that they should determine certain rates that should come to REF. That they have not done. There is also a certain rate of the turnover of all the licencees; also from the eligible customers. It is important you intervene, sir.”
Ohiare noted the precarious condition of the agency, saying the Steve Oronsanye’s Committee Report had called for its abolition.
The director said REA and REF needed robust funding to deliver their mandate.
House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, who was represented by the committee’s Chairman, Magaji Aliyu, called for a collective effort on the need to provide electricity for rural dwellers.
The lawmaker pledged the support of the House for the agency.
He insisted REA electricity was paramount to rural development.
REA’s Managing Director Ahmad Salihijo said over 80 million Nigerians have no access to electricity.
He said there was a gap of $2.5 million to meet the agency’s target of providing electricity for 80 million Nigerians.
Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba, said renewable energy was being deployed to bridge the gap and accelerate development across the world.
Chinyeaka Christian, who represented the minister, said with the forward-learning policies and programmes of the Federal Government, REA was mandated to explore renewable energy and provide electricity to Nigerians.
He said: “However, it is obvious that the grid will not adequately cater for the energy needs of Nigerian and Nigerians. Over 80 million Nigerians lack access to reliable electricity. To change this narrative, we must continue to strategically deploy renewable, off-grid technologies to power Nigeria, one community at a time.”