News
End Of PHCN As New Firms Take Over …Labour Threatens Showdown
Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State (middle) with former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, and Director, Port Harcourt Book Festival, Mrs Koko Kalango, at the Port Harcourt Book Festival in Port Harcourt recently.
Following the Federal Government’s November 1, 2013 deadline for the final unbundling of Power Holding Company of Nigeria and handover of electricity generation and distribution in the country, new investor – companies will take over the affairs of the PHCN with effect from today.
Already, officials of the Ministry of Power, the taskforce on power reform and other stakeholders are expected at the handover ceremony to be performed on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Godknows Igali.
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company will be handed over to a power consortium, which entered into partnership with nine investors that came together under a consortium agreement to bid for acquisition of 60% shares of the company.
A release issued in Port Harcourt and signed by the Administrative Secretary of 4 Power Consortium Limited, Mrs. Precious Nkem Wokocha, stated that the ceremony would hold at the head office complex of the PHEDC in Port Harcourt, today.
According to the statement, “ PHED is one of the eleven distribution companies (DISCOs) that were originally ‘unbundled’ from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)”. “The new company’s functions will continue to be distribution and marketing of electricity in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers States in Nigeria’s South- South region”.
“As a private company, we shall breathe new life into PHEDC’s programme of investment and innovation, and this will enable us to become the most efficient and sustainable utility company in Nigeria. That means our customers can expect an increasing reliable power supply and also a far better service,” it added..
Managing Director of Income Electric Limited, one of the partners in the consortium, Mr Matthew Edevbie reiterated the company’s commitment to stimulating economic growth and improving electricity and service delivery in the region. He stated that, the new PHED “will foster a high performing culture that motivates employees to create value and make a difference in the lives of customers and in the communities they live and work.”
He disclosed that the new company’s core functions would continue to be distribution and marketing of electricity in Rivers,Akwa Ibom,Bayelsa and Cross River States in Nigeria’s South-South region.
Also, the Chairman of the new core investors in the project, Sir Augustine Nwokacha said, “as a private company, it will breathe new life into PHED’s programme of investment and innovation, and this will enable us to become the most efficient and sustainable utility company in Nigeria,adding that customers can expect an increasingly reliable power supply and far better services” .
Thousands of disengaged workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, have threatened a showdown with the Federal Government, following its plans to physically hand over the defunct company to new investors today. The reason for the showdown, according to some of the PHCN workers who spoke with our correspondents, is the delay in payment of severance benefits of about 35% of the workforce.
In some of the PHCN offices visited by our correspondent across the state yesterday, activities were paralysed while the workers were seen discussing their fate.
Policemen were deployed to some of the PHCN offices to forestall break down of law and order. Policemen were seen at Badia and Marina area offices of the PHCN.
Confirming the likelihood of showdown, PHCN Senior Manager, Public Affairs Ijora district, Ayiwe Peter said that they were not against the hand over, but that they wanted want the government to pay the workers before it handed over. Peter said should the government go ahead to hand over without paying the workers, the union will pull their members out and there would be total black out.
He advised Nigerians to prepare for alternative source of electricity so that they would not be caught up in darkness. Contrary to Bureau of Public Enterprise’s statement that at least 84 per cent of the workers had been paid off, while others would be paid between Wednesday and Thursday, the workers said banks had refused to honour the government’s directive to pay them.
They threatened that if their entitlements were not paid by the end of October, the entire workforce of PHCN in all the 36 states would embark on indefinite strike. They therefore appealed to government to ensure that all the agreements it signed with the workers were met to avert the strike.
“If not, how will they ask us to go and they will not pay us? This is sheer man’s inhumanity to man,” he said. The successor companies expected to be handed over to the new investors include Abuja Distribution Company (owned by KANN Consortium Utility), Benin Distribution Company (Vigeo Power Consortium), Eko Distribution Company (West Power & Gas), Enugu Distribution Company (Interstate Electrics Ltd) and Ibadan Distribution Company (Integrated Energy Distribution & Marketing Limited).
Others are: Ikeja Distribution Company (NEDC/KEPCO Consortium), Jos Distribution Company (Aura Energy Limited), Kano Distribution Company (Sahelian Power SPV Limited), Port Harcourt Distribution Company (4Power Consortium) and Yola Distribution Company (Integrated Energy Distribution & Marketing Limited).
The power generation companies expected to be handed over are Shiroro (owned by North-South Power Company), Kainji (Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd), Geregu (Amperion Power Distribution) and Ughelli (Transcorp Ughelli Power Plc). Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Godknows Igali, said last Wednesday that the Federal Government had disbursed N294.51 billion to the disengaged PHCN workers.
Igali made the disclosure to State House correspondents after a special preparatory meeting to strategise on the November 1 physical handover of PHCN successor companies to private investors.
The meeting was chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa.
Specifically, Igali said that N214.22 billion was paid as severance benefits directly to the beneficiaries’ personal accounts, while N80.29 billion was paid as gratuity to beneficiaries’ pension fund administrators. He said that out of the 47,913 PHCN members of staff who went through the severance process, 40.093 had been fully paid, leaving out 7,820.
From the 7,820 staff, Igali said that 605 were validated last Tuesday and would be paid before the end of the week. Igali said that the remaining beneficiaries yet to be validated for payment had one issue or the other in their data capturing and electronic payment processes. “Some members in Enugu Distribution Company, about 1,478 have their biometric capture corrupted by virus and a new consultant has been moved to Enugu to recapture them.
“Those workers would not be accommodated.
“Additional 929 other workers from all over the country also had their biometric data corrupted. “This is a usual thing that happens when you are dealing with such large numbers and we are bringing them to Abuja at the expense of government for their biometric data to be recaptured so that they can be paid their entitlement immediately.
“There were also duplications of various natures, names were duplicated and accounts were duplicated. “For example, there are cases where people have three names and while filling, they put only two names,” he said. Igali said there were cases of about 2,500 staff that were very bad, but still being handled by the committee.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr Benjamin Dikki, said that with the full take-over of the power plants by the private sector, electricity situation would gradually improve.
Nigerians were among more than 140 residents injured after Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the United Arab Emirates, at the weekend.
This raised fresh fears for thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Gulf nation.
The UAE Ministry of Defence disclosed last Saturday that its air defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones fired from Iran, describing the attack as a major escalation in the ongoing regional tensions.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, the ministry said its air defence units engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones during the latest assault on March 14.
It added that the attacks left six people dead and 141 others injured, including foreign nationals.
“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,” the ministry stated.
“Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran,” UAE added.
According to the ministry, those killed in the attacks included citizens of the UAE as well as foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
“Although the authorities did not specify the exact locations where the casualties occurred, the ministry said the injured victims were from several countries, including Nigeria.
Others affected include residents from Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The list also included Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.
The Tide reports that this development has sparked concern among Nigerian communities in the UAE, where thousands of citizens live and work in sectors such as construction, hospitality, logistics and trade.
Data from Nigeria’s diaspora commission shows that the UAE remains one of the largest destinations for Nigerian migrants in the Middle East, particularly in the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
The Nigerian government had in recent years raised concerns over the safety and welfare of its citizens in the country following diplomatic tensions and visa restrictions affecting Nigerians.
Saturday’s attacks have now heightened anxieties within the diaspora community, especially as the Gulf region faces growing military confrontations.
In its statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the country remained fully prepared to confront any threats to its security.
“The Ministry of Defence remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront any attempts to undermine state security in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguards its national interests and capabilities,” the ministry said.
In a separate update, the ministry noted that its defence systems were still actively intercepting missiles and drones.
“UAE air defences are dealing with Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” it said.
Regional media reports indicate that the attacks form part of a wider escalation of hostilities between Iran and Western-backed forces in the Middle East.
According to Al Jazeera, Iran has continued sustained missile and drone strikes across the Gulf despite protests from neighbouring states.
The strikes were said to be in retaliation for military operations launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian positions in the region.
Tehran targeted several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, late on Friday and into Saturday.
The attacks also caused infrastructural damage in parts of the UAE.
Meanwhile, Iran’s elite military wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that US interests in the UAE would remain legitimate targets.
Iranian state media reported that the group issued the warning after US forces attacked Iranian-controlled islands.
The IRGC specifically mentioned ports, docks and military installations linked to the United States as potential targets.
It also urged residents in the UAE to evacuate areas around ports and military facilities to avoid civilian casualties.
Security analysts say the growing exchange of threats and strike across the Gulf could destabilise the region’s economic and aviation activities if the conflict escalates further.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the five new commissioners sworn-in last Wednesday to put in their best for the development of the State.
Fubara gave the charge during the swearing-in of the commissioners at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
This followed the successful screening of the five commissioners by the Rivers State House of Assembly, last Tuesday.
The five commissioners are Tonye Bellgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.
The Tide reports that the governor had sent nine commissioner-nominees to the Assembly for screening, but the Assembly confirmed only five nominees and rejected the nomination of four over various allegations.
Those rejected by the Assembly are Prof. Dantonye Alasia, Mrs. Charity Demua, Mr. Tamuno Williams, and Otonye Amachree.
The governor congratulated the new commissioners on their appointment, noting that their thorough screening by the Rivers State House of Assembly was a proof of their capabilities.
He urged them to deploy their wealth of experience in various fields and put the State on a fast lane of development.
“Ordinarily, I am supposed to charge you on your responsibilities and how to operate. But that has been taken care of by the screening at the Assembly.
“I believe that going through one of the most rigorous screenings, it is enough to say that for those of you who succeeded, you are fit and ready to deliver to our dear State.
“So there is no further charge. The screening was the charge, so I wish you the best as I don’t expect anything less than the best from you,” Fubara said.
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepting suspected stolen petroleum products in Calabar, Cross River State.
The Director of Naval Information, Capt Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement released in Abuja, yesterday.
Folorunsho said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site at Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He said the action followed credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refining site had resumed operations.
According to him, an Anti–Crude Oil Theft team deployed to the location discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed.
“Further exploitation of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.
Folorunsho added that the illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining, was destroyed in line with operational procedures.
He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority area in Calabar, Cross River State.
He said the interception was based on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of petroleum products from vessels berthed at the port.
The naval patrol team, according to him, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally siphoned products to a trailer park within the port facility.
“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.
Folorunsho said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerrycans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in line with extant regulations.
He noted that the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Folorunsho reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.