The House of Representatives advocates for direct payment of five per cent of revenue from electricity generated by power Generating Companies (GenCos) to be paid to their host communities. The move follows HoR second reading of a private member bill entitled, “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electricity Act, 2023” sponsored by Hon. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), projected to address concerns of host communities and other related matters.
The proposed Bill ask for the exclusion of sections 95(2c and d) of the principal Act in order to include Geregu Power Plant in the schedule of the GenCos in the country and discontinue the release of host communities 5% fund to Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Agency (HYPPADEC).
Benson clarifies that the Bill seeks to resolve some omissions in the existing Act, predominantly the omission of Geregu Power Plant from the schedule of the 19 GenCos and host concerns by communities.
He noted that: “Going through the Bill, there are 19 GENCOS in Nigeria but the Bill omits one, and the one omitted is Igeregu Power Plant, therefore requested for its inclusion in the schedule of the GenCos in Nigeria".
