The senate has asked the federal government to suspend a
tender by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to purchase electricity
meters for the second phase of the national mass metering programme (NMMP)
abroad.
TCN is said to be looking to purchase the meters through a
World Bank facility.
The upper legislative chamber urged TCN to negotiate with
the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIM) and the African Development Bank
(AfDB) if the Word Bank would not encourage local manufacturing of meters.
The resolutions of the senate followed a motion by Victor
Umeh, senator representing Anambra central.
“The World Bank has
approved a loan of $155 million for the national mass metering programme,” Umeh
said.
“The ongoing World Bank-funded NMMP Phase 2 seeks to promote
foreign companies’ participation against competent and prequalified local meter
manufacturers which will ultimately result in the loss of jobs and revenue.
“A deliberate policy to prioritize local manufacturing will
catalyze job creation and economic growth.
“TCN on behalf of the
World Bank closed bidding advertisement on July 11, 2023, and further extended
it to July 25, 2023, for the supply and installation of 1.2 million smart
meters to the 11 distribution companies in Nigeria.”
The motion was adopted after it was put to a vote by Senate
President Godswill Akpabio.
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