BY AWA TOURAY
The Public Enterprise Committee of the National Assembly, have adopted the activity report and financial statements of NAWEC for the year ended 31st December 2016 after a long review, for onward transmission for a final review, recommendation and adoption.
Speaking at the consideration of the Activity report, Halifa Sallah, the Chairperson of the Committee reminded the NAWEC officials of Section 175 of the Constitution, which gives the NA the responsibility to set up their Committee, to carry out the functions of monitoring Public Enterprises, in order to ensure efficiency and transparency; that they are required to consider the activity report and financial statements submitted by the National Utility Company.
He also reminded NAWEC officials that as a Public Enterprise, they are required under by the Constitution that within three months of the end of its financial year, a public enterprise should submit its annual report to the NA.
On the appointment of the board of NAWEC by an overseeing Ministry instead of the PSC, the NAWEC officials responded that this has been the practice; that the line ministry in consultation with the office of the president, appoints the board of directors and make recommendations for the appointment of the board; that once the approval is done, it is conveyed to the Ministry who in turn coveys to the management of NAWEC.
On the discrepancy in the LFO used in 2015 and 2016 NAWEC officials responded that generator numbers one and two which were previously in operation, are normally operated on light fuel oil; that since this was not available, they were partially used and hence a reduction in light fuel oil requirements. On why funds were used on generator number one instead of generator number eight, the Officer responded that in 2014, they received a grant from ECOWAS as support to rehabilitate aging generators; that at the time, they had problems of spare parts though G1 and G8, performed the same functions; but that G1 was able to supply all their needs and they did not have enough money to maintain all of them.
