Angry recriminations and counter-recriminations by members of the Lagos State Assembly trailed the announced sale of the Egbin power plant as lawmakers disagreed over plans to challenge the federal government on the sale of the plant without due consideration for the interests of the Lagos State government, where the plant is located.
Although it was evident that the Lawmakers could do next to nothing to rescind the sale that has already been concluded by the federal government, a majority of the State House of Assembly voted yesterday authorizing Governor Babatunde Fashola, to take up the issue with the Federal government arguing that the interests of Lagos State where the plant is located should have been considered a priori to ensure the participation of the State as a principal shareholder in the new venture.
The lawmakers, who frowned at the action of the federal government, declared that being the host state to the power plant, the state was supposed to be contacted and given the first right of offer. Mrs. Adebimpe Akinsola, the lawmaker representing Ikorodu, where the plant is located, moved the issue under Matter of Urgent Public Importance but the issue immediately polarized the House as some lawmakers considered it a fait accompli and a waste of time.
Hon. Akinsola explained that she saw and read a publication of the sale of the Egbin power plant which is located in her constituency only in the National Mirror newspaper; arguing that the bidding process for the plant should have given Lagos State first consideration to indicate its interest while the local community deserves a share of whatever benefits that is to be derived from the transaction not only in terms of corporate social responsibility but also to compensate them for the health hazards the power plant may cause to the residents of the area.
However, Hon. Yinka Ogundimu, argued that before the plant was sold, there must have been a bidding process beginning with an announcement in the newspapers. He said he was not sure the state had declared its interest to bid for the purchase of the plant. His argument was suppressed by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, who asked him if he saw any of such advertisement.
Ogundimu was supported by Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who said the move was belated as there was no way they could force the revocation of the already sold plant. He said instead, the state should concentrate on what it could benefit from the sales in terms of the new company catering for the welfare of the host community.
The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Taiwo Kolawole, and some of the members insisted that the state must be made to have some shares in the new company. Hon. Kolawole told the members about the health hazards of living in the same area with such a plant saying the host community should be taken care of apart from government giving Lagos the opportunity to own shares.
One of the lawmakers, Bayo Osinowo, said though it may be too late to win the battle, the state could adopt the strategy of revoking the land on which the plant is located till the new company considered the interest of the state.
A member of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, informed the House that he was part of the delegation to the National Assembly when the latter held a public hearing on government infrastructures earmarked for privatization. He disclosed that the state government position did not involve buying shares in the new company. According to him, what the state canvassed for was that the one per cent profit derivation made available for the welfare of the host community should be increased to five per cent.
Despite his argument, the House still went ahead to pass the motion calling on the state governor to battle the federal government over the sale of the plant without consideration for the state.
Meanwhile, the House has set up a four-man committee to investigate the allegation by the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria that the principal of Kadara Junior Grammar School in the Ebute Metta, Mrs. E.C. Ukpaka, gave her student, 14-year old Aisha Alabi 42 strokes of the cane for wearing Hijab to school.
The committee consists of Hon. Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun, Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King and Hon. Rufai Adeyemi. They are to report back to the House next week.
