‘Pioneer TCN MD Retired, Not Sacked’

The transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says its pioneer Managing Director, Mr Don Priesman, was not sacked but retired.

In a statement, issued and obtained by The Tide, the company General Manager (Media), Mrs Seun Olagunju, said that the former Managing Director, only retired after a meritorious service with the company.

She said that Mr Don Priesman has since been replaced by a new Managing Director Mr Mack Kast.

The statement said that the insinuations in some media (The Tide non inclusive) were damaging and not acceptable to the company that its pioneer managing director was sacked.

The statement stressed that Priesman honourably served as the Managing Director of TCN for the period of his contract engagement with Manitoba Hydro International.

It said that Priesman who was the pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the TCN after Manitoba Hydro International (MHI) took over the company, retired after a meritorious service with MHI of Canada in about 45 countries.

The statement also said the new Managing Director Mr Mack Kast was engaged as an Advisor for MHI working for the TCN, as part of the Federal Government’s power sector reform initiative.

It said that Kast, who had spent substantial time working on the Nigerian Power Sector Project since 2012 was a graduate of the University of Toronto.

The statement said Kast has worked in the power utility sector, and once held executive roles in Manitoba Hydro and Ontario Hydro and Regulatory Board in Canada.

The statement added that Mr Kast had also worked in various capacities in other African countries such as Tanzania, Mozambique and Liberia before coming to Nigeria.

It would be recalled that TCN is the successor company to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCH) Plc following its successful privatization by the federal government.

Philip Okparaji