Oil & Energy

Union Explains Stance On Minister’s Exit

Published

13 years ago

September 9, 2012

The Woman Leader, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Mrs Doris Nnaji has explained that the reason why workers of PHCN jubilated over the exit of the former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji was because he was alleged to be a clog in the wheel of the power reform in the country.

The NUEE national woman leader who spoke to The Tide in Port Harcourt said the forced resignation of the Power Minister was a celebrated piece of news.

“Workers smashed the minister’s picture in the offices, burnt them and buried the pictures in offices of the company as a show of joy”, she stated.

She accused the ex-minister of attempting to take over the power sector by bringing in three companies he personally had interest in to partake in the privatization bid.

Mrs Nnaji disclosed that the tentacles of the ex-minister could be found in three of the power companies as either his wife, friends or himself were owners of the companies.

The woman leader also noted that the current 4,300 MW the nation is enjoying as against the 6000 MW promised by the ex-minister was because of the high water level and not the result of any effort of the minister, adding that the minister failed woefully in his promise to generate 6000 MW to Nigeria.

The excited Mrs Nnaji, commended President Goodluck Jonathan for hurriedly accepting the resignation of Prof Barth Nnaji as according to him, “Prof Nnaji’s exit is a good omen for the power sector in Nigeria”.

She advised the President to be careful and watchful in dealing with those that work closely with him pointing out that some of them were like Prof Nnaji, who are only there for their own personal interest.

She also commended the workers of PHCN and relevant unions for celebrating the exit of the former Minister of Power.

On the welfare of the PHCN workers, the woman leader said only fairness and justice is what the workers desire and called on the presidency to be fair to power sector reform.

Meanwhile, the President General of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Company (SSAEAC) Comrade Bede Opara and General Secretary of National Union of Electricity Employees, Comrade Joe Ajaero have said the management sabotaged the superannuation fund of over N331 billion which was meant for the payment of staff retirement.

According to them, “we have been receiving only 75 per cent of our salaries since we started working with the company and the remaining 25 per cent was to go to the superannuation, so what we are saying now is pay us our terminal benefits because we don’t know Pension Commission (PenCom.)” .

The pensionable agreement stated that on privatisation, workers’ welfare and benefits must be negotiated to a conclusion before privatisation but it seems government is sweeping this under the carpet.

Chris Oluoh/Vivian-Peace Nwinaenee

Oil & Energy

NERC, OYSERC Partner To Strengthen Regulation

Published

5 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

THE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has stressed the need for strict adherence to due process in operationalizing state electricity regulatory bodies.

It, however, pledged institutional and technical support to the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (OYSERC).

The Chairman, NERC, Dr Musiliu Oseni, who made the position known while receiving the OYSERC delegation, emphasised that the establishment and take-off of state commissions must align fully with the law setting them up.

Oseni said that the NERC remains committed to partnering with State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERC) to guarantee their institutional stability, operational effectiveness and long-term success.

He insisted that regulatory coordination between federal and state institutions is critical in the evolving electricity market framework, noting that collaboration would help to build strong institutions capable of delivering sustainable outcomes for the sector.

Also speaking, the Acting Chairman, OYSERC and leader of the delegation, Prof. Dahud Kehinde Shangodoyin, said that the visit was aimed at formally introducing the commission’s acting leadership to the NERC and laying the groundwork for a productive working relationship.

Shangodoyin said , the acting members were appointed to provide direction and lay a solid foundation for the commission during its transitional period, pending the appointment of substantive members.

“We are here to formally introduce the acting leadership of OYSERC and to establish a working relationship with NERC as we commence our regulatory responsibilities,” he said.

He acknowledged NERC’s readiness to provide technical and regulatory support, particularly in the area of capacity development, describing the backing as essential for strengthening the commission’s operations at this formative stage.

“We appreciate NERC’s willingness to support us technically and regulatorily, especially in building our capacity during this transition,” he added.

Oil & Energy

NLC Faults FG’s 3trn Dept Payment To GenCos

Published

5 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Association of Power Generation Companies have engaged in a showdown over federal government legacy debt.

NLC president Joe Ajaero has faulted the federal government’s move to give GenCos N3 trillion from the Federation account as repayment for a power sector legacy debt, which amounts to N6.5 trillion.

In a statement on Thursday, Ajaero said the Federal Government proposed the N3 trillion payment and the N6 trillion debt as a heist and grand deception to shortchange the Nigerian people.

“Nigerians cannot and should not continue to pay for darkness,” Ajaero stated.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, APGC, Dr. Joy Ogaji, said Ajaero may be ignorant of the true state of things, insisting that the federal government is indebted to GenCos to the tune of N6.5 trillion.

She feared the longstanding conflict could result in the eventual collapse of the country’s power.

According to her, the federal government’s N501 billion issuance of power sector bonds is inadequate to address its accumulated debt.

Oil & Energy

PENGASSAN Rejects Presidential EO On Oil, Gas Revenue Remittance ……… Seeks PIA Review

Published

5 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria(PENGASSAN) Festus Osifo, has faulted the public explanation surrounding the Federal Government’s recent oil revenue Executive Order(EO).

President of the association, Festus Osifo, argued that claims about a 30 per cent deduction from petroleum sharing contract revenue are misleading.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, last Wednesday, February 18, signed the executive order directing that royalty oil, tax oil, profit oil, profit gas, and other revenues due to the Federation under production sharing, profit sharing, and risk service contracts be paid directly into the Federation Account.

The order also scrapped the 30 per cent Frontier Exploration Fund under the PIA and stopped the 30 per cent management fee on profit oil and profit gas retained by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

In his reaction, Osifo, while addressing journalists, in Lagos, Thursday, said the figure being referenced does not represent gross revenue accruing to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

He explained that revenues from production sharing contracts are subject to several deductions before arriving at what is classified as profit oil or profit gas.

Osifo also urged President Bola Tinubu to withdraw his recently signed Presidential Executive Order to Safeguard Federation Oil and Gas Revenues and Provide Regulatory Clarity, 2026.

He warned that the directive undermines the Petroleum Industry Act and could create uncertainty in the oil and gas industry, insisting that any amendment to the existing legal framework must pass through the National Assembly.

Osifo argued that an executive order cannot override a law enacted by the National Assembly, describing the move as setting a troubling precedent.

“Yes, that is what should be done from the beginning. You can review the laws of a land. There is no law that is perfect,” he said.

He added that the President should constitute a team to review the PIA, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and forward proposed amendments to lawmakers.

“When you get revenue from PSC, you have to make some deductibles. You deduct royalties. You deduct tax. You also deduct the cost of cost recovery. Once you have done that, you will now have what we call profit oil or profit gas. Then that is where you now deduct the 30 per cent,” he stated..

According to him, when the deductions are properly accounted for, the 30 per cent being referenced translates to about two per cent of total revenue from the production sharing contracts.

“In effect, that deduction is about two per cent of the revenue of the PLCs,” he added, maintaining that the explanation presented in the public domain did not accurately reflect the structure of the deductions.

Osifo warned that removing the affected portion of the revenue could have operational implications for NNPC Ltd, noting that the funds are used to meet salary obligations and other internal expenses.

“That two per cent is what NNPC uses to pay salaries and meet some of its obligations.The one you are also removing from the midstream and downstream, it is part of what they use in meeting their internal obligations. So as you are removing this, how are they going to pay salaries?” he queried.

Beyond the immediate impact on the company’s workforce, he cautioned that regulatory uncertainty could affect investor confidence in the sector.

“If the international community and investors lose confidence in Nigeria, it has a way of affecting investment. That should be the direction. You don’t put a cow before the horse,” he added.

According to him, stakeholders, including labour unions and industry operators, should be given the opportunity to make inputs at the National Assembly as part of the amendment process saying “That is how laws are refined,”