Nigeria Blew N2.7trn On Electricity – Dogara

• How NERC raised salaries unilaterally, Reps panel told
Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, yesterday revealed that it is a shame that N2.7 trillion was wasted to generate power which remained epileptic since 1999.
He spoke in Abuja when he opened the House Committee on Power investigating the payment of N2.7 billion severance package to the Chairman and seven commissioners of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).


Represented by his Deputy, Hon. Yussuff Lasun, the Speaker lamented: “All of us know what power is. And Nigeria has been struggling in the last 50 years to generate at least between 2,5000megawatts and 4,000megawatts. It is sad!
“We are here doing what we know how to do. To probe the activities of agencies of government. As a parliament, we try to do our best to ensure that the interest of our people is protected.
“How can we as a parliament be ignored to the extent that we woke up one morning and heard that the Discos and Gencos had been privatised without the involvement and input of the House Committee on Power. It is not done anywhere.”

Jaw-dropping revelations emerged from the ongoing investigative panel, It is believed that more impunity may have been committed by the commission’s management over the years.
Beside the outrageous amount approved to itself as severance gratuity to commissioners without recourse to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) recommended by law, the NERC also allegedly raised basic salaries from 120% to 100% of gross earnings which include salaries and allowances.

The committee which took on Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi yesterday, said not only did the NERC arrogate to itself the powers to fix its own salaries and allowances, it also increased staff salaries by 100% of the total gross earning of staff and commissioners.
One of the most revealing observations from the lawmakers was made by Hon. Chris Agibe, who urged Amadi to tell Nigerians what reduction from 120% of basic to 100% of gross really means.
Hon. Agibe said: “What you referred to as reduction from 120% to 100% based on Pension Commission (Pencom) benchmark is right. But what you have refused to tell Nigerians is that you actually reduced from 120% of basic salary to 100% of gross earning which is an astronomical increase.”

Responding, Dr Amadi denied the report that his commission approved such amount as severance package for commissioners.
He said: “That was a false report about the payment of N2.7billion. We did not approve to pay ourselves N2.7 billion as severance package at NERC”.
The Sun.