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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