The Nigerian House of Representatives has called on the leadership of Benin, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) to explain the non-remittance of N100 billion to the Federation Account.
During a public hearing in Abuja on Monday, the Chairman of the House Public Accounts Committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam, directed the companies to appear before the committee on Thursday.
The summons followed repeated failures by the three Discos to respond to previous invitations.
Rep. Salam explained that the move was based on an interim report presented by Rep. Mark Chidi Obetta, who chairs a subcommittee investigating the matter.
The report highlighted ongoing lapses by the Discos in fulfilling their statutory obligations to remit funds collected from electricity consumers to the federal treasury.
The committee’s concerns are part of a larger investigation into the sector.
Back in August, the Public Accounts Committee had summoned 11 electricity distribution firms over cumulative debts amounting to N2.6 trillion owed to the Federation Account.
Rep. Salam condemned the repeated non-compliance of the three companies, warning that failure to appear could attract stricter penalties.
He expressed serious concern over the longevity of the debt, noting that some obligations have gone unsettled for more than ten years.
The lawmaker emphasised the urgency of recovering these funds to ensure proper accountability and safeguard public resources, stressing that decisive measures must be taken to prevent future occurrences.
The committee’s intervention reflects the legislature’s commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of public funds, particularly within the electricity sector.
