A planned foreign trip for eight members of the National Assembly sponsored by the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) has continued to generate controversy, months after it was announced as cancelled.
Activists have also condemned the practice where Nigerian lawmakers are sponsored on local and foreign trips by government agencies they are supposed to have oversight on, saying it creates a conflict of interest.
NBET in November 2017 budgeted $96,350 for the eight lawmakers to attend the 43rd international training programme on utility regulation and strategy; but cancelled the trip for undisclosed reasons.
Despite the cancellation, however, a source within NBET told Premium Times that the fund was approved and money released to the lawmakers.
Premium Times confirmed the approval but could not independently confirm that the lawmakers received any money.
An internal memo of NBET obtained by Premium Times indicated that eight lawmakers, four each from the Senate and House of Representatives committees on power; clerks of the two committees; the Deputy General Manager of NBET, Eugene Edeoga; and the Managing Director, Marilyn Amobi were drafted to attend the training.
The senators are Enyinnaya Abaribe, Adamu Aliero, Olanrewaju Tejuosho and Mao Ohabunwa while the members of the House of Representatives are Daniel Asuquo, Mohammed Garba Gololo, Abdulmalik Zubairu and Iboro Ekanem.
The clerks of the two committees are Gideon Zemo for the Senate and Sidi Ibrahim for the House of Reps.