The House of Representatives in Nigeria has directed its Committee on Privatisation and Commercialization to conduct a thorough inquiry into the operations of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) from 2019 to May 2023. This move follows the plenary session where Hon. Hassan Shehu Hussain successfully tabled a motion concerning the investigation of BPE’s privatization and commercialization practices over the aforementioned period.

According to a report by This Day Live, Hon. Hussain emphasized the significance of the privatization initiative, which the federal government began in 2000. He raised concerns regarding the sale of a 29% stake in the Geregu Power Plant by the BPE in 2019, questioning the sale of an additional 20% in 2021 under conditions that may not ensure the power plant’s upgrade to a combined cycle.

Furthermore, Hon. Hussain expressed unease about the $78 billion balance from the sale between Afam Power and Afam Three Fast Power that remains unpaid, despite a handover and agreement terms set for 2020. He also mentioned the halted Zungeru Power Plant Concession Agreement, which the Federal Ministry of Justice blocked due to a lack of explicit approval by the Federal Executive Council.

In an interconnected development, the House summoned the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, to present a comprehensive account of the policies governing the allocation and distribution of N1.1 trillion for the conditional cash transfer program aimed at aiding 15 million households. The summons come as part of efforts to bolster transparency and accountability, particularly in light of past challenges seen during the COVID-19 palliative distribution.

Additionally, the House of Representatives has initiated an investigation into the murder of Chalya Grace Silas, a National Youth Service Corps member in Kaduna State, urging law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute the culprits promptly.

The House has also instructed its Committee on Youth Development to scrutinize the safety protocols for Corps members nationwide, indicating a concerted effort to secure the welfare of young Nigerians serving the country.