Rep Advocates PPP For Ailing Companies

House of Representatives Member representing Emohua/Ikwerre Constituency, Hon. Andrew Uchendu has recommended a public/ private partnership scheme in reviving government owned companies in the state.

This is coming at the heels of plans by the Rivers State Government to evolve strategies to overhaul some of its moribund firms in order to create employment and raise the revenue profile of the state.

Hon.Uchendu, while reacting to the development in an exclusive interview shortly after the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Bureau for Public Enterprises(BPE) paid a courtesy visit to the Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi last Friday in Port Harcourt, said government should seek other viable means of overhauling the firms in line with current realities by seeking private partnership to run such companies.

Uchendu said,” It will require extra political will on the part of  the State Governor to run such firms profitably. So I will not encourage government to continue running public owned enterprises themselves”.

Uchendu who deplored the way some federal government firms were privatised, observed that as former House of Representatives deputy Chairman on BPE, he had frowned at the controversial concession of Ajaokuta Steel Mill.

The federal legislator was of the view that the steel mill concession was shoddy emphasising that, “by my own consideration, it was unacceptable and did not follow due process”.

He expressed the hope that the Senate Committee would reverse the sales after due investigations have been conducted.

Hon. Uchendu remarked that one or two cases must be reversed, in particular, the privatisation and concessioning of Ajaokuta Steel Mill”.

He therefore urged the Senate Committee to conduct a thorough investigation to un-earth the circumstances surrounding the deal as Nigerians expect them to exemplify high level of transparency in carrying out their assignment.

In a similar vein, the Senate Ad hoc Committee on BPE has lauded the management of the two privatised federal companies in Rivers State for keeping afloat after they were sold.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Ahmed Lawan told newsmen last weekend that so far, Eleme Petrochemical Company Limited now Indorama and National Fertiliser Company now Notore have been operating successfully.

He however tasked the management of Indorama to address the plight of its workers, since they  have the right to better working conditions and welfare.

Senator Lawan said the committee had urged the protesting workers of the plant to sheathe their swords as everything would be done to address their agitations.