Electricity: Nigerians Must Get What They Pay For – Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has assured that the lawmakers would ensure that Nigerians get adequate supply of electricity that is commensurate with what they pay for. He disclosed this when he received the management team of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) who paid him a courtesy call in his office in Abuja on Wednesday. He said it was the responsibility of the House to make life easier for Nigerians. Gbajabiamila emphasised that the House would pay utmost attention to the practice of estimated billing by electricity distribution companies (Discos). The Speaker warns that the House would not tolerate estimated billings as Discos are taking advantage of the system to present outrageous bills to Nigerians. He said the federal lawmakers have resolved to revisit the matter and come up with a law that would put a stop to estimated billing of electricity across the country. It could be recalled that the Speaker had during his term as House Leader in the 8th Assembly, presented a bill to criminalise estimated billing but it did not get presidential assent. However, the bill was reintroduced for another consideration after the inauguration of the 9th Assembly. “The issue of estimated billing has been in the front burner. It has been in this House, and we will revisit it soon. We can’t allow Discos to continue to do what they have been doing over the years. He commended the present TCN management led by its Managing Director, Malam U. G. Mohammed, and tasked them to work closely with the leadership of the House and relevant committees to achieve its goals. The Speaker also called for a periodic review of the performance of Discos and vowed that the House would do everything within its powers to ensure that TCN delivers on its mandate to Nigerians. In his remarks earlier, the TCN MD said the company has been repositioned since the new management took over. He disclosed that the main challenge facing the Discos was lack of investment adding that the Discos need $4.3 billion investment to function well. The MD lamented that the past management of TCN under Manitoba did not perform well in the four years when it managed the company, with non-audited accounts for the period alongside other challenges.