Damilola Shittu – Abuja
The Managing Director / CEO of Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), Marilyn Amobi, has charged journalists to ensure responsible and balanced reportage of the power sector in order to grow the industry.
Amobi who made this know in Abuja, while receiving the executives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council, yesterday said unbalanced reportage of the sector was capable of affecting free flow of Foreign Direct Investment which is critical energy development.
She noted that inaccurate reportage of the sector will naturally slow the progress being made in the industry as “ bad news are read by investors around the world who naturally become anxious of a hostile business climate, which unfortunately is what the Nigeria media does often.
Amobi stressed the need for journalists to always portray issues and events in a neutral and unbiased manner, regardless of their personal opinions or belief.
Speaking on issues of accountability and transparency in the NBET, the MD disclosed that all financial transactions with Generating Companies (Gencos) and international customers are made public through monthly publication in the media for scrutiny and transparency sake.
She expressed the confidence that the power sector reforms in the company will not be halted under any primordial threats. It could be recalled that allegations of abuses and N2 billion over payment claims leveled against NBET, Nigeria Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) that has the role to maintain the integrity of the electricity market and in accordance with its regulatory power probed the alleged fraud and gave NBET a clean bill of health.
