Oil & Energy

Fear Grips Power Company Staff …As Contract Ends Next Week

Published

10 years ago

April 21, 2014

Morbid fear now grips
workers in the generation (GENCOs) and distribution companies (DISCOs) across the country as their six months contract work agreement terminates next week.
The Tide investigations show that the new GENCOs and DISCOs which bought over the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) have since begun strict assessment of their staff performances and have penciled down thousands of their staff for disengagement.
Though when contacted, the Acting General Manager Public Affairs of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), Mr Obi Onuwah, declined comment on the pending loom, but a reliable source confirmed that the company has since last month started performance assessment and authoritatively revealed that over 1,000 staff of PHEDC may be laid off.
Our correspondent who visited some Business Units of the company reports that sack fever has gripped the staff whose hopes now hang in the balance.
“Honestly, the issue is the biggest worry in my unit. Most of us have embarked on fasting and prayer because only God can retain one here”, said a worried employee in the Diobu Business Unit.
The lady staff who pleaded anonymity said nobody is free including the big officers in the unit.
At the Borikiri Business Unit, another male staff said, “that is what the staff are bothered about day and night.”
It was gathered that some staff have started serious lobbying using their influential contacts to see if they could scale through.
At Rumuola Business Unit, a staff told The Tide that, some have already gone spiritual – consulting native doctors, while others consult their church priests for prayers and others who have big people in the government, particularly those who were instrumental in the sale of PHCN to help save their jobs.
While handing over to power investors who bought over the defunct PHCN, on November 1st 2013, the Federal Government ordered the retrenchment of about 20,000 out of over 50,000 PHCN workers.
Those staff who survived the initial retrenchment exercise were re-engaged by the private investors on the condition that their performances would be reviewed after six months which expires this April (next week) to determine if they would continue or go.
To survive the impending sack The Tide investigation showed that the new staff particularly the middle and junior cadre work under all manner of hash condition without any iota of complaint to avoid attracting issues that could endanger their stay.
This was quite unlike before when they were working under the defunct PHCN when the usual laxity associated with government work was the order of the day.
Early this month, our correspondent revealed that a secret cocktail party was organised in Port Harcourt by PHEDC where the Business Unit managers had their performances re-examined.
The party which was organised quietly without involving the press was used to honour some business managers and other senior managers who performed creditably while those who could not meet the required high record were reprimanded.
One unique thing according to our correspondent was that revenue generation was the major concerned of the new investors.
Our source further said that unlike the period of PHCN, there was a remarkable improvement in virtually all business units in terms of revenue generation.
This explains why in the recent past, the issue of crazy bills was the complaints of consumers every where to enable the units meet their high revenue targets.
While remarkable improvement was recorded in revenue generation, by the new investors, some analysts insist that the new investors must listen to the lamentations of power consumers over poor electricity supply.
Mr Johny Nwobodo, a Port Harcourt based businessman said assessment based only on revenue is not enough. “It must include workers’ welfare. It must most importantly take into cognizance the quality and standard of service delivery to the public”.
Another business manager, Nduka Clarice advised the Power investors on the danger of sacking more workers after the six months contract.

Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo (left), declaring open the 7th Annual Nigerian Association for Energy Economics and International Association for Energy Economics conference in Abuja, recently.

Chris Oluoh

Oil & Energy

FG Explains Sulphur Content Review In Diesel Production

Published

5 hours ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

The Federal Government has offered explanation with regard to recent changes to fuel sulphur content standards for diesel.
The Government said the change was part of a regional harmonisation effort, not a relaxation of regulations for local refineries.
The Chief Executive, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, told newsmen that the move was only adhering to a 2020 decision by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which mandated a gradual shift to cleaner fuels across the region.
Ahmed said the new limits comply with the decision by ECOWAS that mandated stricter fuel specifications, with enforcement starting in January 2021 for non-ECOWAS imports and January 2025 for ECOWAS refineries.
“We are merely implementing the ECOWAS decision adopted in 2020. So, a local refinery with a 650 ppm sulphur in its product is permissible and safe under the ECOWAS rule until January next year where a uniform standard would apply to both the locally refined and imported products outside West Africa”, Ahmed said.
He said importers were notified of the progressive reduction in allowable sulphur content, reaching 200 ppm this month from 300 ppm in February, well before the giant Dangote refinery began supplying diesel.
Recall that an S&P Global report, last week, noted a significant shift in the West African fuel market after Nigeria altered its maximum diesel sulphur content from 200 parts per million (ppm) to around 650 ppm, sparking concerns it might be lowering its standards to accommodate domestically produced diesel which exceeds the 200 ppm cap.
High sulphur content in fuels can damage engines and contribute to air pollution. Nevertheless, the ECOWAS rule currently allows locally produced fuel to have a higher sulphur content until January 2025.
At that point, a uniform standard of below 5 ppm will apply to both domestic refining and imports from outside West Africa.
Importers were previously permitted to bring in diesel with a sulphur content between 1,500 ppm and 3,000 ppm.
It would be noted that the shift to cleaner fuels aligns with global environmental efforts and ensures a level playing field for regional refiners.

Oil & Energy

PHED Implements April 2024 Supplementary Order To MYTO

Published

5 hours ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) plc says it has commenced implementation of the April 2024 Supplementary Order to the MYTO in its franchise area while assuring customers of improved service delivery.
The Supplementary order, which took effect on April 3, 2024, emphasizes provisions of the MYTO applicable to customers on the Band A segment taking into consideration other favorable obligations by the service provider to Band A customers.
The Head, Corporate Communications of the company, Olubukola Ilvebare, revealed that under the new tariff regime, customers on Band A Feeders who typically receive a minimum supply of power for 20hours per day, would now be obliged to pay N225/kwh.
“According to the Order, this new tariff is modeled to cushion the effects of recent shifts in key economic indices such as inflation rates, foreign exchange rates, gas prices, as well as enable improved delivery of other responsibilities across the value chain which impact operational efficiencies and ability to reliably supply power to esteemed customers.
“PHED assures Band A customers of full compliance with the objectives of the new tariff order”, he stated.
Ilvebare also said the management team was committed to delivering of optimal and quality services in this cost reflective dispensation.
The PHED further informed its esteemed customers on the other service Bands of B, C D & E, that their tariff remains unchanged, adding that the recently implemented supplementary order was only APPLICABLE to customers on Band A Feeders.

Oil & Energy

PH Refinery: NNPCL Signs Agreement For 100,000bpd-Capacity Facility Construction

Published

5 hours ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) has announced the signing of an agreement with African Refinery for a share subscription agreement with Port-Harcourt Refinery.
The agreement would see the co-location of a 100,000bpd refinery within the Port-Harcourt Refinery complex.
This was disclosed in a press statement on the company’s official X handle detailing the nitty-gritty of the deal.
According to the NNPCL, the new refinery, when operational, would produce PMS, AGO, ATK, LPG for both the local and international markets.
It stated, “NNPC Limited’s moves to boost local refining capacity witnessed a boost today with the signing of share subscription agreement between NNPC Limited and African Refinery Port Harcourt Limited for the co-location of a 100,000bpd capacity refinery within the PHRC complex.
“The signing of the agreement is a significant step towards setting in motion the process of building a new refinery which, when fully operational, will supply PMS, AGO, ATK, LPG, and other petroleum products to the local and international markets and provide employment opportunities for Nigerians.

By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu