A call has been made by the House of Representatives Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) and generation companies (GENCOs) to address their lack of compliance with corporate social responsibility obligations in local communities.
Expressing disappointment, the committee highlighted the non-attendance of DISCOs’ and GENCOs’ chief executive officers at their scheduled appearances, as reported by NAN.
During an inquiry in Abuja into DISCOs’ adherence to corporate social responsibility mandates in their respective communities, Committee member Obiageli Orogbu revealed this information.
Orogbu criticized DISCOs for delegating junior staff without proper authorization and denounced GENCOs for failing to send representatives as a sign of disrespect.
The failure to provide five-year audited accounts and detailed information on corporate social responsibility activities carried out in host communities was also condemned.
Instructions were issued by Orogbu to the committee’s Clerk, Mr. Emmanuel Chukwu, to issue another summons to DISCOs and GENCOs for an appearance in June.
It was emphasized that refusal to attend would result in the committee taking necessary action to ensure their presence.
The meeting aimed to engage DISCOs and GENCOs in a dialogue to assess their engagement with local communities regarding corporate social responsibility initiatives, Orogbu stressed.
The committee, endorsed by the House leadership, is tasked with this undertaking and expects full cooperation from the electricity companies.