*To amend Power Sector Reform Act 2005
OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — The House of Representatives on Thursday sought the establishment of the National Power Training Institute and Regulatory Provisions as well as the establishment of a Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Agency.
In a motion to amend the Power sector reform Act of 2005, by Magaji Aliyu, Chairman, House Committee on Power, he said establishment of the agencies would strengthen the sector for efficient service delivery.
According to him, the amendment was also with a view to providing the legal and institutional framework for the implementation and coordination of rural electrification projects.
“For about one and a half decade, the Act has not been amended until now, following increasing challenges that affect the efficiency, corporate stability and prospects of the power sector,” he said.
He said that in exercise of its powers, the Committee on Power initiated amendment of the Act aimed to overcome the challenges for a better power sector in Nigeria.
The proposal was supported by inputs from stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Power, Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA, power generation companies, Association of Nigeria Electricity Distribution and the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, he said.
Giving a background to his presentation, Aliyu reminded his colleagues that the Act was enacted as far back as 2005 as a consolidated legal framework to regulate the power sector in Nigeria.
In the absence of any dissenting voice, the bill was passed and referred to the committee on power for further legislative actions.
