Okonjo-Iweala faces power probe panel today

Idowu Samuel, Abuja, with Agency Report - 27.03.2008

Former Minister of Finance in the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will today appear before the House of Representatives investigative panel on the $16 billion spent in the past eight years by Obasanjo’s government on power sector.

Okonjo-Iweala’s appearance today is special since the committee headed by Honourable Godwin Ndudi Elume-lu has rounded off its sitting on Friday.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that Okonjo-Iweala’s appearance was at her instance having formally written the committee to state reasons she preferred to appear, a reason the probe panel had to recall its members from break to hold today’s special session.

The former Minister of Finance and later Foreign Affairs Minister, will be stating why her office approved payment for the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) from the excess crude oil account without allowing the contract involved to pass through due process.

She is also to explain what went wrong with the power sector which gulped $16 billion within eight years without a significant improvement on electricity generation, distribution and transmission.