A legislative advocacy group, National Intervention Group of Nigeria (NIGON), has petitioned the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly, asking it to probe the transfer of Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) from the Ministry of Power to the Ministry of Finance.
President Muhammadu Buhari had directed that NBET be moved to Finance Ministry after he reinstated its former Managing Director, Marilyn Amobi, who was suspended by Power Minister, Sale Mamman, following the crisis that rocked the organisation.
The convener of the group, Akinloye Oyeniyi, argued that it was unlawful for the Federal Government to, through the 2021 Appropriation Bill, attempt to alter an Act of the National Assembly by moving an agency from one ministry to another without recourse to the parliament.
“We are aware that Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) and other parastatals under the Ministry of Power have been having their budgets prepared by the Ministry of Power.
“Whereas in the 2021 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari, the budget of (NBET) was unlawfully taken out of the Ministry of Power to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning,” he said.
According to the Oyeniyi, the transfer was in breach of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005 and gross violation of Senate Orders and House of Representatives rules.
He therefore called on the joint committees of the National Assembly on Power to either step down NBET budget or scrutinise and pass same under the Ministry of Power.
