N2.7b Severance Package: Reps Query Approval Of Fund To NERC Board Members

There has been rift over the approval of the N2.7 billion severance package to members of the board of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) as the House of Representatives on Wednesday, mandated its Committee on Power to investigate alleged approval of the fund.

The controversy came on the heels of a motion under matter of urgent public importance, sponsored by Rep. Mohammed Gololo (Bauchi-APC).

Gololo had in the motion, described the board’s approval of the payment of such package as unconstitutional, adding that it was not authorised by the National Assembly in the 2015 Appropriation Act.

According to him, the planned payment conflicted with the recommendations of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
He argued that the approval also offended section 42 (1) (a) and (b) of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, adding that NERC had no recurrent expenditure in the 2015 budget.

Gogolo said, “This suggests that the commission either does not pay any salaries to its board members and staff or pay salaries from funds that have not been paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.’’
The motion was unanimously adopted by the lawmakers, and was referred to the Committee on Power for investigation.

By Patrick Aigbokhan

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