Date Published: 07/07/10

Sir,

Rural Electrification Agency: EFCC to Quiz Nass Members

Reading the Sunday Vanguard and Sunday Punch of June 20, 2010 was a story that signified EFCC’s plan to quiz more National Assembly members in the ongoing trial of former Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Nicholas Ugbane and his House of Representative counterpart, Ndudi Elumelu. The trial which was for misappropriating N5.2billion on account of their oversight functions as head of Senate and Federal House Committees, overseeing the Rural Electrification Agency, REA; the figure has now gone up to N10billion.

EFCC had identified more National Assembly members who were said to have written to the Ministry of Mines and Power and the Rutal Electircation Agency introducing various firms which they had interest in and now believed to be involved in the increased scam.

With this, one is wondering why EFCC has continued to keep mum in the case of former PDP national chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor, who was said to have collected billions of naira from Akwa Ibom government without executing rural electrification contracts he was awarded. Definitely, EFCC is not only for cases bordering on federal projects but also has been very active in various State governments’. So why is the Akwa Ibom case different, many are asking? Ogbulafor is facing trial in a case brought against him by the ICPC and not EFCC.

Since more emphasis is being placed on Power sector of the economy, as promised by President Jonathan, it will be necessary to unearth all the wrongs associated with the issue (Power stations, IPP, Rural electrification, etc) if any meaningful achievement would be recorded. It is only when you know the past wrongs that you would know how to move forward in solving those and then position for the future. This is clarion call on President Jonathan, the anti-graft agencies and the newly inaugurated Power Committee to act accordingly.

Nse Archibong, 288 Ikwerre Road, Diobu, P.H., Rivers State