The House of Representatives Committee on power has directed the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to urgently pay what is due to the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) or forget its 2021 budget.
NERC is expected to remit all its operational surpluses, fines against industry operators as well as proceeds of licensing fees from operators, to the REA, which the committee was told had over time not been complied with.
Delivering the directive during a budget defence session with REA Tuesday, chairman of the committee, Aliyu Magaji said he was sad that operations of REA were being hampered by failure of the commission to remit the funds and said “without the money, we would pass NERC’s budget.”
The committee has also warned agencies under its supervision, that it would not consider fresh projects in their 2021 budgets, especially where there is a plethora of ongoing projects.
The warning came as engaged managements of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) at two separate meetings over their 2020 budget performances, as well as defence of their 2021 proposed estimates.