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Tag: Power

  • Ninth Assembly: Oshiomhole speaks on sharing power with PDP

    …says party will not repeat 2015 mistakes

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on Monday gave indication of what to expect from the 9th National Assembly, insisting that the party will not allow the mistakes of 2015 to reoccur when the new national assembly is inaugurated in June.

    Addressing newly elected members of the House of Representatives at the Shehu Yar’adua Centre in Abuja, Oshiomhole said the APC was not prepared to share offices of principal officers of the House and headship of critical committees with the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, except for position reserved for minority members.

    Oshiomhole told the lawmaker that Nigerians have reposed confidence in the APC, giving it overwhelming majority in the House and will use the numerical strength to its advantage, and sought the collaboration of the legislators for the party programmes.

    He said: “The first is the challenge of ensuring that this time around we ensure that we have a leadership of the National Assembly that shares the vision of the executive. Although we speak to separation of power but there is only one government and unless the various arms pursue the same agenda it is difficult for the executive to realise it purpose because legislative backing is often required for the executive actions.

    “So I will expect that you bear in mind that we are one family joined together as shown in our broom, with a share commitment to bail Nigeria out of the condition in which we find it in 2015.

    “And that you have the numbers and we will use those numbers to ensure that we have a leadership that command the trust and the respect of all the members of the House of Representatives. There will be contestation, that is why we are in democracy but after the contestation and debate we have to agree, and once you have agree you move forward.

    “We have the numbers to produce the Speaker and we will produce the Speaker, who must be a member of the APC. We have the numbers to produce the Deputy Speaker and we will use the numbers to produce the Deputy Speaker, who must be a member of the APC. We have the number and we must use the numbers to elect a House Leader who must be a member of APC.

    “We have the numbers and we will use the numbers to produce a Chief Whip and a Deputy Whip who must be members of the APC. I think the only position that we are not interested in is the Minority Leader. Let it remain minor in the hands of the minors in the opposition.

    “We will not share power in the House of the Representatives and the leadership must ensure that critical committees that drive government are chaired only by APC members. If the Nigeria people wanted to be chairmen of committees they would have voted for them.

    “So all the chairmen of committees, except one that is statutory reserve for opposition, which is Public Account, they can have that. So, we would not do the kind of thing that happened the last time in which some APC members as members of the leading party became distance spectators in the management of committees, when PDP had majority of the strategic committees in the House that will not happen in the next Assembly.

    “We are aware that they believe they can use the divide and rule by sponsoring many people within our ranks to contest for which of the position so that they then become the king maker and in return the person will offer them some chairmanship seats.

    “Hon members and comrades I’m sure are not going to do business with them. We will see them as partners in progress but in democracy the rule is, and it is a universal rule, majority must have their way but minority must be allowed to have their say.

    “So PDP and other minority can have their say but working together APC must have it way in legislative agenda, in the leadership of the National Assembly and the leadership of the committees in the National Assembly. I thought we should make this thing clear so that those who may not understand what is happening don’t fall into the trap.”

    While calling on the new federal lawmakers not to allow anybody to divide that, Oshiomhole assure that his leadership will carry out an extensive consultations with President Muhammadu Buhari and all the leaders of the APC.

    “We will work out a sensible zoning formula that sees to carry everybody along and give people chances to demonstrate their capacities and their capabilities. We are working on that.

    “Somebody told me the opposition party people are already doing something, raising money to bribe people and I said no we are anti-corruption, we cannot be corrupted. If they bring One Billion Naira to each member, PDP person will not be Speaker, a PDP person will not be Deputy Speaker, a PDP person will not be Whip, a PDP person will not be Leader and a PDP person will not take any of the Committee that are meant for the ruling party. We are determining to achieve that and be rest assured that the party will stand by you.”

    While congratulating them for their success, he said “We are proud that Nigerians in your various constituencies have reposed confidence in the APC. I was looking at the number this morning and I realised that at the level of the House of Representatives, the Nigerian people gave the APC a resounding vote of confidence.

    “Before the election, we had about 190 members. The Nigerian people elected and re-elected 223 members off the House of Representatives on the platform of the APC. This has given us overwhelming majority, almost two third that we need even if we can’t to amend the constitution.

    “I like to, on your behalf to thank the Nigerian people for reposing confidence in our party. I would like to say that by the same token, the Nigerian people has reposed less confidence in the major opposition who went into the election with more members and returned with 111 members.

    “It is easy the first time to ask people to give you the benefit of the doubt. But when you have occupied an office for four years, and the people choose to favour your party to the extent to which they have favoured the APC, it is a thing of joy. We are grateful to the Nigerian people for giving us the number we need to carry through our legislative agenda.”

    Alluding to party supremacy, Oshiomhole said “for us to be able to enjoy our numerical strength in the House of Representative, we must recognise that we were elected on a party platform. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been invited by INEC to forward names rising from court decisions to the effect that APC has won in a certain constituency even when there is dispute about who is the candidate.

    “I am sure that when you went to vote, you did not see the portrait of any candidate, but the logo of the APC which is the broom. Something unique about the broom is that when you pick a stick of broom, you can easily break it. But when it is together as it is in our logo, it will be difficult to break.

    “The essence of that broom is to remind us that when you are together, we share ideas together, make decisions on the basis of inclusion and we carry everybody along, we encourage debate, contestations and agree that at the end of the day, agreement reached are binding on all, then we will be as strong as the broom in our logo.

    “We have called this meeting to remind us that we have a huge task ahead of us. Nigerians have voted the way they did and they expect new vigor and have injected new blood into the House of Representative and I am sure that you have all come determined to make a difference in the way the National Assembly is run.

    “As people, who are active, you are very familiar with the issues that bogged down the National Assembly between 2015 and 2019 arising from a unique concussion and I pray that this time around, we have all learnt a lesson from our immediate past and allow the positive lessons of our immediate past to shape our future.

    “You have been elected at a very challenging time to provide legislative backing for APC agenda and manifesto. Our President who has been reelected reminded us that the three critical issues on which we canvassed for votes in 2015 are still valid even now in 2019. The President is doing everything possible to turn the economy around and to ensure that we work and create job led growth and not jobless growth where we celebrate abstract statistics that does not reflect the quality of life of the Nigerian people.

    “We must work hard to rebuild the economy, strengthen the private sector, create job, make the business environment friendly and expanding the capacity of our current investors. If Nigerians consume what we produce, our economy will grow in double digits and that growth will reflect on the quality of lives of our people. What has been missing has been leadership and that President Buhari has brought.

    “We need to sustain and deepen these policies and I sure that some aspect of it will require legislative intervention. We will need to reinvent the manufacturing sector. If we have sensible and sustainable industrial policy in place with appropriate legislative backing to give people the confidence of policy stability, even to cloth half of our population will generate more than ten million jobs in the textile sector alone.

    “There is no reason while Michelin should not return to Nigeria especially if we have sensible industrial and trade policy that discourage the importation of these items which we were producing before. All these need a collaborative national assembly. We need to pursue sensible monetary policies and should not price the funds out of the reach of the ordinary person. There must be coherence in all our policies so that we can witness sustainable growth and get our young people busy.

    “President Buhari has a rear opportunity to now think of what legacies to leave behind for Nigerians. He has spoken about corruption and we all know that it is one factor that has destroyed the country. What we owe the Nigerian people is to create an environment for people to work and earn a living and for investors to have decent results for their investment and this also require legislative action.”

  • My interest is to ensure Nigeria has steady power supply – Sowore

    The Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Mr Omoyele Sowore, has said that his interest is to ensure that Nigeria has steady power supply.

    Sowore stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at a town hall meeting tagged: “The Candidates’’ organised by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) injunction with DARIA Media with support from the MacArthur Foundation.

    He said the Federal Government has the responsibility of providing electricity to Nigerians.

    “My interest is to ensure that there is power, whether it is on exclusive or inclusive list, which ever list it belongs as long as I am elected as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria I can light up the country.

    “There will be a legislative agenda that I will discuss with the lawmakers at the National Assembly that the most important thing is not the list where power belongs but how our people can get electricity.

    “What I am saying is that this idea that we are deregulating and privatising a sector that is on the exclusive list and federal government is not suppose to say anything about it is the oxymoron of the power sector.

    “They don’t want light in the country. We have paid for it. Where did the N16 billion that we spent on the power sector came from? It is the federal government.

    “But nobody is saying that the private sector is responsible for darkness. It is government that is responsible for lack of electricity in the country.

    “The federal government needs to drive the laws, recover what needs to be recovered. What our people need is light,’’ Sowore said.

    The AAC presidential candidate said the federal government has enough power to lighten up the country by looking at the rules and laws, as well taking the right and bold decisions.

    Sowore said the children would not be able to learn well, while the country’s economy would not be developed with an economy that is built on darkness.

    He stressed the need to distribute the available prepaid meters to all households to address challenges in wrongly estimated bills, as well as withdrawing the licenses of distribution companies that are not performing.

    “We cannot continue to pamper them if they are not doing what they are licensed to do,’’he said.

    On the Education sector, Sowere said that his administration would address the challenge in the sector through adequate funding and proper planning.

    He said that his administration would invest N1.3 trillion over a period of four year to take millions of Nigerian children roaming the streets back to school.

    He also said to address out of school syndrome the police need to enforce the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Act by prosecuting parents who refused to send their children to school.

    His running mate, Mr Rabiu Rufai, said that the government of AAC would work to get 13.5 million out of school children back to the class room.

    Rufai added that in developing the education sector, the AAC administration would recruit more teachers from unemployed Nigerians who have the requirements.

    He said that the most important issue in the minds of Nigerians were those of education and health sectors.

  • John The Best And The Value Of Power, By Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

    Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

    Everything my father told me concerning power has played out in my life. My father akin to the sages of the wisdom literature of the Bible called me for a conversation one day. Among the many things he told me about integrity, the aspect concerning the value for power, position and office has remained eternally true for me. Here is what my father told me: “My son, so many people have died in the process of fighting for leadership positions. It is difficult for some people to give up the crown and many have preferred to die if they could not cling to power. The people who kill and even prefer to die if they do not occupy leadership positions do so because they do not understand that kingship is a gift from God. Power in the hands of the wise person can heal the world whereas power in the hands of a fool can destroy the world. The wise lead the world with soothing words while the fool rule the world with a dangling sword. Power is a double edge sword and it intoxicates like liquor if not put under control with humility as prudent guide. My son, do not be a tyrant even if you are the strongest man on earth. If somebody is envious of your position, do not fight because some people who have stolen the position of leadership may not even know what to do with power. They do not know that power is a sacred opportunity to serve God and humanity. Life is not a bed of roses but with prayer and dedication you can build human structures. Pray for the people under you and do not prey on them. By so doing, you will not be put to shame.”

    In my journey through this earthly pilgrimage to my last destination where I hope to behold the loving God, I have realized that nothing comes easy. I have not gotten many things on a platter of gold. I have come to understand the allegory of the mosquito who after flying for the first time returned to tell the mother, “everybody was clapping for me.” The mother told the baby mosquito, my dear, they were really not clapping for you, they were trying to kill you.” I have been denied so many opportunities in life not because of lack of merit and efficiency. The reason is that somebody simply does not need me. I do not know if I am a threat to their positions. I have learnt from experience that most of my deprivations were steps towards greater heights. Some of my deprivations have led me to meditate very deeply on the attitude of John the Baptist towards, authority, office, position and power.

    In our world today, human beings like John the Baptist are very few. If we have many types of John the Baptist in our world, the earth will be a foretaste of heaven for everybody. Some of the disciples of John the Baptist came to him and said, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness is baptizing, and all the people are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive anything unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, my joy is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:26-30). Today, how many people can say of their colleagues, “let him increase or let her increase” without the syndrome of “pull him down or pull her down.”

    John was a man of integrity and he paid for his honesty with his blood. “John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them. But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done. Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison (Luke 3:19-20). John could have proclaimed himself the Messiah of the Jewish expectation but he did not. He was content with his position. “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:15-22). He declared his identity and his mission: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord” (John 1:23).

    Genuine power is a call to service. When a true leader occupies a position of power, he becomes a point of reference as a model. Authority is derived from the word “author” hence a leader who in reality is a servant reveals his authority with genuine content of character. He has authority over his emotions and temperaments just as one of the meanings of the word “jihad” means struggling or striving to conquer one’s personal weakness. People who are emotionally and intellectually powerful do not intimidate the people around them with unnecessary aggression. Those who are genuinely endowed with power are meek and humble. They are ready and willing to cope with the weaknesses of others like Jesus who said: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:29).

    If you are competent to lead the people, the way you talk and relate to people will command respect in a way and manner that you will be obeyed without issuing commands with threats. Once you appreciate the power in you, you do not need to demonstrate it by verbal force. According to Margaret Thatcher, it is those who feel powerless who act in a demanding, overwhelming, power-driven way to compensate for their perceived powerlessness. As a result, they underestimate their ability to affect others and behave in extreme ways that are aggressive or disproportionately intense. This has far more negative impact on their partners and their relationships than they had ever intended (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/me-we/201306). Those who source for power to protect their weakness and powerlessness can never adopt the attitude of John the Baptist. Instead of creating space for others to grow, they become obstacles and enemies of progress.

    Every serious organization that has a clear mission, vision and specific objectives take leadership training very serious. The organization source for qualified experts with merit to occupy the positions that each person specializes in. Leadership training makes human beings actualize their potentials. No organization with a clear focus exist to produce leaders without commitment. The organization therefore invest in human resource management and strategic planning to identify human beings with adequate emotional intelligence, emotional competence, personal competence with self-control, social competence and self-management. An organization whose aims and objectives are conflict management, conflict resolution, conflict transformation and peace-building needs people who are reconciled reconcilers. A peace builder needs special skills for public relations and control of anger. This calls for the capacity to be an image maker of the institution with acceptable behavioral acumen to showcase what the organization represent. The calmness of a leader reflects inner peace in relating to people. Only the meek can lead the world to true peace. May all who aspire to leadership positions take this to heart, mind and soul.

    Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua is the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) (omonokhuac@gmai.com; www.omonokhua.blogspot.com)

  • Post privatisation: Experts urge FG to review power contract agreements

    Post privatisation: Experts urge FG to review power contract agreements

    Some stakeholders in the power sector have urged the Federal Government to review the power contracts agreement with the owners of the distribution and generation companies.

    They spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday against the backdrop of the company’s inability to meet the demand of its customers in the last five years.

    NAN reports that the government had on Nov. 1, 2013 handed over five generation companies and 11 distribution companies to its new owners.

    The privatised generating companies (Gencos) were Geregu Power Plc., Ughelli Power Plc., Egbin Power Plc., Kainji Hydro Electric Plc. and the Shiroro Hydro Electric Power Plc.

    While the 11 distribution companies (Discos) were Abuja, Benin, Eko, Ibadan, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port-Harcourt, Yola and Enugu.

    Dr Chris Okonkwo, the President General Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) said that there was need for government to review compliance of contracts with the Discos and Gencos to meet expectations.

    Okonkwo said that the companies’ purchase sales agreements should also be reviewed, while sanction clauses applied where necessary.

    He, however, added that otherwise, sustainability of power supply would be endangered since government was erroneously propping up the companies with intervention funds.

    He said: “Regrettably, this is an irony which raises questions, if it was right for government to sponsor private companies using tax payers’ or public funds.

    “Government should have the will and sincerity to confront the promoters of the failed companies who are powerful men and women, without fear or favour.

    “Privatisation fell short of expectations in all areas, including in improvement, efficiency and reliability. Efficiency is still below pre-privatisation time and does not justify the policy.

    “Efficiency of service is still very low. In fact, capacity of the companies is in doubt. All indices of performance are all below expectations and undertakings given by the companies.’’

    Okonkwo said: “I advocate legal review and action against the companies in line with the terms of the contracts. Arbitrary withdrawal is not necessary since there are more facts to deal with them without liabilities.

    “For instance, Discos are returning money for just 30 per cent of electricity generated while Gencos are lying about their capacities and making false claims with it.

    “They are living on government money,’’ he said.

    The Coordinator, Coalition for Affordable and Regular Electricity (CARE), Mr Chinedu Bosah said that the major shortcomings are fraudulent estimated billings and epileptic power supply.

    According to Bosah, estimated billing is worrisome and a challenge for consumers.

    “You sell electricity without a scientific form of measurement and the Discos are not interested in issuing prepaid meters because it is far more profitable to continue the regime of estimated billing.

    “The DISCOs will only be ready to issue prepaid meters unless the tariff is hiked so high that consumers pay so much despite poor supply.

    “The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is also collaborating with the DISCOs to achieve this unfair pricing considering on the periodic hikes in tariff without any tangible improvement in electricity supply.

    “Despite the huge investment of over 16 billion dollars since 2005, many residents and communities are placed on gross darkness.

    “7,000 MW is grossly inadequate for a population of about 180 million while South African is generating 50,000 MW for a population of 56 million people,” he said.

    Mr Ogunleye Biodun, the Managing Director, PowerCap Nig. Ltd., said that government needed to continually revalidate the strategies in ensuring efficiency in the power sector and apply corrective steps where required.

    Biodun said that government also needed to get out of the market completely, adding that certain agencies which were currently constituted are creating more problems.

    He said that templates for pricing, market rules and payments must be respected and enforced.

    According to him, the bedrock of the privatisation exercise is to attract investments and encourage growth by creating a market-led environment in which power is competitively produced and delivered at fair prices to end users.

    “The steps were successfully executed to a large extent, but certain changes in the design may be giving room for operators not to be as accountable and profitable as envisaged at conception.

    “Firstly, government should not have more than TCN and NERC while the role of any other organ or agency in the sector might be wasteful and out of sync with the objectives.

    “The program envisaged largely a connected grid supply driven environment, but as it stands the sector needs to adjust itself to the reality that off-grid supplies cannot be neglected again.

    “The Multi-Year-Tariff–Order (MYTO) driving pricing mechanism should be allowed to be truly cost reflective.

    “The need for competitively sourced additional generation capacity to assure longer availability and strengthen the grid can no longer be over emphasised.

    “Discos must consciously engage in ensuring that last mile investments are positioned for metering and embedded supply to assure longer availability and stability,’’ he added.

    However, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Mr Godwin Idemudia said that over 100,000 customers had been metered by the company.

    Idemudia said that the company had also embarked on installation of 200,000 meters pending the implementation of the Meter Asset Providers Regulations which EKEDC had complied with to the latter.

    He said that this would significantly reduce the metering gap within the EKEDC’s operational network.

    “We have improvements in power supply, speedy response to faults, convenient means of payments, reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial Collection losses (ATC & C).

    “We have increased customer resolution; the company had spent over N200 million on extensive training of EKEDC personnel to improve their performance.

    “We have also invested on information technology and electricity equipment’s among several ongoing efforts,’’ he said.

    Similarly, Mr Sunday Oduntan, spokesman of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), recently urged government to implement a cost reflective tariff, create a special intervention fund and pay all the MDAs debts promptly to ease liquidity in the sector.

    He said the DisCos have reduced customers metering gap by 2.2 million since the power sector was privatised in 2013.

    Oduntan said that the private investors met a 5 million metering gap in the sector, when they took over in 2013 and reduced the gap to 2.8m.

  • What South-West stands to gain by returning Buhari to power in 2019 – Fashola

    What South-West stands to gain by returning Buhari to power in 2019 – Fashola

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday, urged the people of South-West to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 elections to guarantee a return of power to the region in 2023.
     
    The minister stated this at a special town hall meeting on infrastructure organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Orientation Agency.
     
    The News Agency of Nigeria reports the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed led three other ministers including Fashola, Ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu to the town hall meeting.
     
    Fashola said besides, the massive investments by the Buhari administration on infrastructure across the country and in the South-West particularly, the region would benefit politically by voting for Buhari.
     
    The minister, who spoke in Yoruba language said: “Do you know that power is rotating to the South-West after the completion of Buhari’s tenure if you vote for him in 2019?
     
    “A vote for Buhari in 2019, means a return of power to the South West in 2023. I am sure you will vote wisely.”
     
    On the performance of the Administration, Fashola said that the government had kept its promises to Nigerians in the three key areas of security, fighting corruption and rebuilding the economy.
     
    He said the essence of the town hall meeting was to showcase what the administration had done in three and half years.
     
     

  • Nigeria's power challenges can't be solved by magic – Fashola

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said electricity supply in the country is improving slowly and that challenges in the sector cannot be confronted with magic.

    Fashola, who spoke on Thursday at the inauguration of the 2x100MVA, 132/33kV power transformers at the Ejigbo Transmission Substation, Lagos, commended the Transmission Company of Nigeria for the ongoing projects across the country.

    “We have come to hand over this expanded transmission substation, the Ejigbo Transmission Substation, to the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company. This substation was built in 1970; the capacity was 60MVA then; except for the addition of another 60MVA, this community has grown exponentially; so they have exceeded the installed capacity here,” he stated.

    The minister said President Muhammadu Buhari knew the substation required an expansion, adding that the capacity had been increased from 120MVA to 300MVA.

    He stated, “Between that time and when President Buhari came three years ago, some people were there. But they will come back to you; so, when they come back, ask them if they didn’t know where to buy transformers.

    “The problem of electricity is slowly being solved, one by one. Anybody will tell you he will do magic; tell him, ‘How?’ He should explain to you. We inherited 800 containers for power equipment left in the port for 10 years. President Buhari gave us approval, and we have recovered 690.”

    According to Fashola, there are 90 transmission projects ongoing across the country, and some of the recovered of pieces equipment are being used for them.

    “If you look at it, between 2015 and now, you ask yourself honestly: Are you spending more on diesel now or before? Are you running your generators for longer today or yesterday? So, are you seeing the power slowly staying longer? If you are truthful to yourself, you will know that it is better than yesterday. And we haven’t finished,” he said.

    The Managing Director, TCN, Usman Mohammed, said the installation of the two units of 100MVA transformers at the Ejigbo Transmission Substation was funded by the World Bank through the firm’s project management unit.

    He stated, “With the increase in the Ejigbo substation’s capacity, the TCN has substantially increased bulk electricity available in the substation for the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company to take to its customers. Consequently, electricity consumers in Ejigbo, Egbe, Oke-Afa, Shasha, Ikotun, Ijegun, and Idimu town will now have improved power supply from Ikeja Electric.”

    “Other benefits include relieve of some overloaded feeders in Egbe, Shasha and Oke-Afa. Also, the Lagos airport will now have more load allocated to it. Improved power supply in these areas will positively impact the socio-economic development of the areas in particular and the economy at large.”

     

  • Electricity Workers threaten shut down of power, demand sack of MD

    Electricity Workers Nationwide on Tuesday in Abuja threatened to shut down power, unless the Federal Government immediately sack the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN), Managing Director, Usman Mohammed.

    The workers, under the auspices of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), are accusing Mohammed of high handedness and anti-labour practices.

    The union threatened that it would ground the entire power structure in the country, if government refused to heed its advice to relief the managing director of his appointment.

    The workers’ threat followed the alleged administrative irregularities and high handedness of the Mohammed-led management.

    It is recalled that TCN emerged from the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), following the merger of the Transmission and Operations sectors on April 1, 2004.

    TCN represents one of the 18 unbundled business units under the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and was issued a transmission license on July, 1, 2006.

    The development prompted workers of the organisation to picket the TCN premise where they disrupted vehicular and commercial activities for several hours.

    The workers, who spoke through Umar Abubakar, SSAEAC’s General Secretary, accused Mohammed of allegedly flouting most of the administrative procedures, which they claimed were inimical to their welfare.

    According to them, the MD allegedly single handedly conducted examinations for staff due for promotion without recourse to input from other management staff.

    They further alleged that the MD had defaulted in remitting appropriate taxes to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), a development that also led to the sealing of the organisation even before the workers staged their protest.

    The workers also claimed the MD had hijacked some funds provided by the World Bank for projects in the power sector, including his alleged interference in union activities by his attempt to polarize the union.

    They also alleged that the MD cleared a large consignment of electrical materials from foreign donors at the ports but failed to deliver same to the warehouse of the organisation for proper accountability, before distribution to the relevant sections.

    The protesters said efforts by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige and his counterpart in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to intervene in the matter, proved abortive as Mohammed failed to turn up in several meetings.

    “Our grievances stem from the fact that the MD on his own handled the promotion exercise and started to conduct it in his own way through the aid of consultants that to us is not the ideal process.

    “The motive is that he is not prepared to promote any staff, especially those who are due and most qualified for promotion.

    ” He probably wants to pick people, who are his boys and loyal to him, that is our suspicion.

    “We have it on good authority that there were some container loads of equipment that were cleared from the ports but was not taken to the store, this again is not the proper thing to do for accountability.

    “His own style of leadership is management of dishing out orders; if he is not around, nothing takes place.

    ”What then are the functions of the Executive Directors or General Managers?

    “To cap it all and to prove his incompetence, the FIRS has sealed off our office over tax default.

    ”How can a responsible MD claim to be in charge and this is happening,” their allegations read in part.

    The protesters were seen chanting solidarity songs against the management, carrying placards with inscriptions such as, “we say no to tax fraud, “sack UG Mohammed now to guarantee hope for power sector, “no to nepotism”

    Efforts made by newsmen to get reactions to the allegations failed, as the embattled MD neither picked his calls nor responded to text messages sent to his cell-phone.

    NAN

  • Daura’s sack: No tough battle between Buhari and Osinbajo — Presidency

    The Presidency on Wednesday said there was unanimity on the sack of the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Lawal Daura.

    Recall TheNewsGuru had earlier reported the termination of Daura’s appointment by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo following the invasion of the National Assembly by the operatives of the DSS. The invasion, according the acting President was done without approval.

    In the wake of sack of the embattled DSS boss, there have been report in the media that a power tussle is ongoing between Buhari’s men and the office of the Vice {President.

    However, while addressing journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Presidential Spokesperson, Femi Adesina said the,” Presidency is one” and that the acting President has all the powers of a President.

    Adesina who describing the Acting President as a decent man, added,” there is no tussle for power, there is no tough battle between him and the president.

  • Power generation rises to 7,000 mega watts, says Fashola

    Nigeria’s current power generation has reached 7000 Mega Watts, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said.

    Fashola said this on Friday in Calabar at the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing 4th Edition Retreat for top directors, heads of units and chief executives of agencies and parastatals.

    He said that although there was still more to be done, the ministry had moved forward from where it was three years ago.

    “Three years ago, the story was that power generation was the main problem of Nigeria. The story was that the distribution companies were complaining that they did not have enough energy to distribute to Nigerians.

    “We were distributing averagely 2,690 mega watts of electricity to Nigerians, but today, that story has changed, distribution has risen to 5,222 mega watts, an all time national high.

    “Transmission has reached 7,000 while generation has reached 7000. The problem has not finished but all we can say is that we have made progress.”

    The minister added that the Federal Government was constructing roads in virtually all the 36 states some of which were through collaborative efforts as well as direct interventions.

    According to him, the present administration has spent over N300 billion on roads construction since coming to power three years ago.

    “Before this administration, there was no housing policy but now we have one.”

    Fashola commended members of staff of the ministry for their support and teamwork, noting that without teamwork, the ministry would not have been able to achieve much.

    He said that the theme of the retreat which is “Goal Setting and Goal Reaching for a Focused Team,’’ was meant to reinforce the team spirit while setting out on its goals in the next 90 days.

    “It is a team that wins. We will go together as a team. If we bind together, everything is possible,” he said.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr Louis Edozien, said that the retreat was meant to appraise the performance of the ministry in the past 90 days.

    Edozien, who was represented by a Director, Mr Ahmed Abdul, added that the retreat would also afford the top management the opportunity to strategise on the plan of action for the next quarter.

    NAN

  • Ekweremadu: Ohaneze speaks tough, says Buhari, APC gone mad with power

    Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has condemned the detention of Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, by the EFCC.

    Recall that Ekweremadu was on Tuesday detained by EFCC on allegations of corruption.

    In a statement by it’s publicity secretary, Uche Achi-Okpaga, Ohaneze said the presidency has “gone mad with power and turned the anti-graft agency and security agencies into milliant wings of the All Progressive Congress”.

    “It has become imperative to state without equivocation that Nigeria’s democracy has been put under the custody of the APC and the Nigeria Police Force, the EFCC and other security agencies have been turned to militant wings of the APC.

    “We are not oblivious that there is a grand design to intimidate and cow every assumed adversary of the Government but we encourage Nigerians not to be undaunted in speaking against the totalitarian and fascist embellishments of the government.”

    Achi-Okpaga said, the “the arrest, intimidation and harassment of Senator Ike Ekweremadu lends credence to the fact that democracy is collapsing irretrievably”.

    “It is obvious that this action is a continuation of the ugly and uncivil events of last week where the once gallant Nigeria Police and the EFCC became lords unto themselves and moved to barricade the residences of the Senate President and his Deputy respectively.

    “Having failed in that orchestrated attempt to prevent the Senate presiding officers from accessing the National Assembly the fateful day they decided to go for Ekweremadu’s jugular.

    “The events of this week including the Police brigandage in the Benue State House of Assembly only depict that the Presidency has gone mad with presidential powers and l see it consuming them,” the statement added.

    The spokesman said that President Muhammadu Buhari has shown that he has no answer to the socio-political quagmires facing the country.

    The statement condemned “the current ploy to coerce all and sundry into one political party” describing it as the height of political naivety.

    “Democracy has been deadly raped in Nigeria and this is part of reasons that we have insisted on restructuring the system. With the way things are turning upside down and inside out we are only been vindicated on our stand on restructuring.

    “This Government has gotten it wrong virtually in all fores. The social media is awash with criticisms of the recent idea of building a refinery in the President’s northern State of Katsina while the oil is in the South but it is in the South that you want to build cattle ranches when the cattle and the owners are in the North. This is so paradoxical as it is antithetic,” Achi-Okpaga added.