By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA—AS the year draws to an end, the House of Representatives, yesterday, moved to probe major players in the nation’s energy sector, including activities of some multinational companies operating in Ogun State.

The development was based on the adoption of motions moved separately by Joseph Edionwele (PDP, Edo), calling on the House to “investigate the recurring electrical accidents in the power and need to investigate the non-compliance with due process in the issuance of off-shore safety permits by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, in connivance with a limited liability company,” brought by Gabriel Onyenwife (APGA, Anambra), and the “urgent need to investigate the disconnection of electricity to communities in Akoko North-East/North-West federal constituency of Ondo State” brought by Stephen Friday (PDP, Ondo).

The Edo lawmaker in the first motion told the House that since the concession of various projects in the power sector to private interest, the rate of electricity related accidents resulting in deaths had increased.

Edionwele noted that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, put the figure of deaths due to electrical accidents in the last two years at 655, apart from those who sustained injuries.

He called on the House to urgently mandate the Committees on Power, Labour, Employment and Productivity to investigate the causes of the incessant electrical accidents and allegations of unsafe practices by the various Distribution Companies (DISCOs), Generating Companies (GENCOs) and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN, with a view to bringing an end to the unhealthy trend and report back to the House within six weeks for further action.

Also, Onyenwife in moving that the DPR be investigated, told his colleagues that the agency has un-lawfully delegated parts of its duties to a limited liability company by saddling it with the responsibility of issuing off-shore safety permits, OSP, and other licences to all exploration and production companies, service companies and downstream companies.