The Ondo State House of Assembly on Tuesday held a public hearing on ways to address sharp malpractices inherent in the power sector.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state Ministry of Justice had forwarded an executive bill on A Law to Amend the Ondo State Electric Power Sector Law to the assembly for passage.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Olamide Oladiji, who declared the public hearing open, said that the gathering was necessary as not to defeat the bill’s purpose.
Oladiji explained that the bill was conceived to treat each person in a residential or business outlet as an independent customer by the electricity distribution company for the purpose of payment or debt collection.
He said that the initiative would not only strengthen financial sustainability through expanded commercial activities but would also promote the security of lives and property and ensure the provision of streetlights within the state.
According to him, the passage of the bill into law is long overdue, and that Ondo State cannot afford further delay in this regard.
“I believe that when passed into law, it will enable the state to modernize its electricity regulatory framework, align with national reforms, strengthen the powers of the regulator and promote private sector investment.
“And this will also accelerate electricity access and reliability; secure citizens, staff welfare and at the same time, it will create new opportunities for economic growth in our Sunshine State,” he said.
The speaker enjoined stakeholders to provide valuable inputs that would produce a well structured law in line with the best global practices.
Earlier, the Chairman House’s Adhoc Committee on Transport and Utilities, Mr Chris Ayebusiwa, said that the event was significant because it would bring good effects on economy of the state.
“This event is significant because it has to do with our livelihood as citizens.
“It is significant because it affects our socio-economics survival as a state.
“It is also very significant because the government of Ondo State, through the legislative arm, wants the citizens to have a say in the making of a bill that has major implications on our livelihood as citizens, particularly the all-important subject of power generation and distribution.
“As an arm of government, we have no doubt whatsoever in our minds that we shall receive very meaningful and impactful contributions from this interaction
“We are also very positive that whatever inputs and ideas that shall be made by citizens, especially the experts, professionals and veterans among us shall add great value to the making of the bill,” he said.
In his remarks,the state Commissioner for Energy and Minerals Resources, Mr Johnson Alabi, said that the 2023 Electricity Act had decentralized electricity market to the sub-nationals in the country.
Alabi explained that electricity market had become a thing that could be managed by the state, hence the need to strengthen the sector and make it viable and impactful.
”The essence of reviewing this electricity law at this moment is that it can conform with what is obtainable in the electricity act of today.
“Realities have shown that the old law may not be able to support us legally if we have to pursue a lot of things in the new order, hence the need for this gathering.
”The matter of electricity is a concern of everybody, and that is why it has been thrown open to the public to be able to make contributions, significant contributions, to see how we all harness the resources we have to make the law become robust,” he said.