•Presidency appoints acting Director-General
From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, ISAAC ANUMHE, Abuja and LOUIS IBA
The Federal Government yesterday sacked the Director-General, Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa. The Presidency may be implementing a recommendation of the Senate ad hoc committee, which allegedly found her wanting over the privatization of Federal Government’s shares in Eleme Petrochemicals Company and the award of the $23 million (about N3.7 billion) management contract by the bureau to Canada’s Manitoba Hydro Electric Board in July this year.
Immediately the government announced her removal, staff of the BPE jubilated, claiming that they were not happy with Onagoruwa’s handling of their welfare. A two-paragraph statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the Vice President, Umar Sani, said she was ordered to hand over to the most senior director in the BPE, Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki, who is to hold the position in an acting capacity. “Mr. President extends his sincere appreciation to Ms. Bolanle Onogoruwa for her services to the nation and wishes her the best in her future endeavours”, Sani said.
The Federal Government had validated the Canada’s Manitoba Hydro Electric Board agreement in July this year. In a related development, the government had on November 14 hinted of the cancellation of the contract, saying the correct procedure wasn’t followed. But President Goodluck Jonathan had during his last media chat on November18 said the Manitoba deal “did not follow the law strictly” and initial report of the termination was a “misunderstanding”.
The President had said the Manitoba contract has not been revoked. There were some issues raised due to misunderstanding. In 2006, when it all started, Manitoba and others bid. As at that time, it was the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) that handled the whole exercise. There was confusion and they placed procurement on Manitoba as a consultant to manage our transmission. But with the law we have now, the due process law, it has painted that procurement differently.
It was just concluded as a process of privatisation, but did not follow the law strictly. Every country must keep to its law. “We saw some loopholes that were not properly done and we say look, we should do it properly so that if we leave, after few years, nobody will come and ask questions. We believe that we should rectify what was not properly done, therefore give the relevant section of government up till next Tuesday (November 20) to get all things sorted out, so that if it requires my authorisation, l can do it.
Let me assure you that we did not cancel the Manitoba contract”, the President said. Meanwhile, reacting to the sack, a BPE employee that doesn’t want to be named, commended the President for taking the right step to relieve the DG of her job. “Her time here has witnessed the lowest level of staff morale. There is what is called beverage allowance, which is supposed to be paid monthly, but since she came, we have been having arrears.
Even as at today, we have about five months arrears that she has (allegedly) refused to pay. Even our housing allowance is not forthcoming. Under that woman, staff welfare had been at the lowest ebb. We are very happy that she is leaving”, he said,as he hugged his colleague. The Senate ad hoc committee had in December last year, approved the report of the probe panel recommending Onagoruwa’s sack for alleged gross incompetence, after weeks of delay that raised suspicion of a possible cover-up. BPE is the secretariat of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) which is charged with the responsibility of implementing the council’s policies on privatization and commercialization.
Vice President Namadi Sambo is by statute, the Chairman of the council. Recall, however, that Onagoruwa had appeared before the Senate committee following a petition submitted by an aggrieved former employee of the BPE, seeking redress for wrongful dismissal. The Senators through a voice vote also endorsed the 44 other recommendations which included a reprimand for three former BPE Directors-General, Nasir el-Rufai, Dr. Julius Bala and Irene Chigbue.
The report, was widely suspected to have gathered dust when it seemed that the Senate was footdragging to take decisions on it. But the Senate later made recommendations to the Presidency. By voice vote, the Senate unanimously adopted all the 44 recommendations including the sack of Ms Onagoruwa for what the panel described as alleged gross incompetence and fraudulent sale of government’s residual shares in Eleme Petrochemicals Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Among other recommendations were the reversal of the sale of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja Sheraton and Daily Times of Nigeria Plc for failure to keep to the terms of share purchase agreement, which, according to Senate President David Mark. showed the Senate’s sincerity. Recall also that the government worried over the rot in the power sector, had rather opted to concession of the transmission business under a three-year tenure deal to Manitoba to turn the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) into a technically and financially efficient, stable and sustainable company.
The deal was midwived by erstwhile Power Minister, Prof. Barth Nnaji. It was learnt that Manitoba may have been denied the right to appoint or fill all senior or top management positions in TCN as stipulated by the terms of the deal, which designated Nigerians as second in command in all key positions in the company. But the stalemate in the agreement is not without grave implications to the economy as the N3.7billion paid to the Canadian firm had already become operational from September 1, 2012. “The money is running at a loss to the country,” said an official of the BPE who volunteered to explain the implication to the economy
. “I think it is a situation where a force majore would have to be invoked to save the loss,” he added. Nigeria targets a divestment earning of over N400billion from the sales of its power utility establishments to the private sector. But the privatization process supervised by the BPE had been mired in a lot of allegations of graft and favouritism as most preferred bidders are cronies of government or are considered to have links with political office holders.
But Atedo Peterside, Chairman of the Technical Committee for the NCP, has defended the process, saying it was devoid of any graft. Current generation capability in Nigeria stands at about 5,000megawatts and existing transmission facilities are so obsolete to carry even that capacity effectively. And with a fresh target of 10,000megawatts by 2015, the need to pump in fresh investments into the transmission network cannot be overstated.
Her Leadership was surely bad for Staff to jubilate and evn the legislature recommended it. She should cover her head in shame. BAD TRACK RECORD>
This woman should be prosecuted, is not only to sack her.She is not capable to be a leader.
Ms Bolanle, u are a beautiful woman, u ought to have translated your God given outlook to uphold your chrisma and benevolent to serve Nig populace. But you chose to packaged tyranny to ur staffs and finally nailed and brought economic adversity to ur nation Nig. Other women of ur same colleagues in various parastatals re doing well as they re a pride to Nig women today in the civil service to our nation, i hope all this allegations about u should be regarded as rumour, because someone with this physical appearance should be a pride to her citizenry in all ramification.
you are an Ibo goat.
FOR DAILY JOKES DIRECT ON UR WALL,CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK AND LIKE THE PAGE!
CLICK HERE
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=302084179842197&refid=5
Very Clean with Full Options Blackberry 9800 Torch1 from RIM ,Canada @ a cheap price Per unit and for bulk buyer price goes down. 0-8-0-9-8-9-9-6-9-0-3
What a man can do a woman can as well.nobody can be trusted in this country.may God help us.
LEAVE JUDGEMENT FOR GOD. WE MUST ENSURE THAT OUR WAYS ARE RIGHT WITH GOD.
i never believed it until i received my payment in dollas just for becoming a member of this site, i did not pay a dime it was free and easy, u can receive ur own if u will just click on the link below and register, believe me u will say bye bye to poverty this is cool money click now http://www.socialpaycheck.com/index.php?referral_id=5353 ur referral id is 5353 type it in the referral box u will not regret it
Since you are receiving free money, why don’t you get all your family members in and enjoy it together? Why bothering others here? Nigerians are hardworking people, we don’t lurk around waiting for free money!
Enough of this nonsense!!!
Her pocket don full with our money. make another person chop. 9JA for you.
If sacking this woman is a way forward for this country then let it be! Stay away from poverty click here down to make money http://www.earnite.com
Become a member of Netcontacts today, and be paid N1500 for each person u invite to register as member, Netcontacts business has changed the lives of so many Nigerian citizens financialy, i encourage u to embrace this wonderful opportunity and make tremendeous benefits, pls i assure u that netcontacts has the potential, ability and everything it takes to change ur life financialy, i give u my word for information about Netcontacts pls click here and register to get started http://www.netcontacts.com.ng/invitation/?invitationcode=329899355 i wish u the best beyong ur success. GOODLUCK
A tree cannot make a forest, charity begins at home. If your staff had jubilation over your sack, then you are a failure to the nation. Such work environment will affect they overall output of the staff and will be detrimental to President Jonathan’s progress.
Nobody is indeed perfct.i guess it shuld more xplanatory and clear 2 detect error on men than women.i dnt knw why it shuld b a womn in dis case..nothwistanding if it wll pave way 4 gud devlopment is nt bad.bt mind u all those who claimed 2 b solution ur advice is be careful…
Nobody is indeed perfct.i guess it shuld be more xplanatory and clear 2 detect error on men than women.i dnt knw why it shuld b a womn in dis case..nothwistanding if it wll pave way 4 gud devlopment is nt bad.bt mind u all those who claimed 2 b solution ur advice is be careful…
that means she is serious and straight person, Nigeria don’t want good thing.
thank you jare,if nigeria govt sacks someone and the legislature supports it,you should know that the person is likely to be a straight forward person that strayed into their company
When we only sack without prosecution, how would there be deterance to others? It only ends up encouraging more impunity.
Her sack is long over due.It is remaining Madam Oteh of Security and Exchange Commission.
You can make real legitimate income on the
internet today and change ur financial
story; become a member of
Netcontacts and be paid N1500 for
each person u invite to register.
Netcontacts has changed the lives of so many Nigerians financially. I therefore
urge u today to embrace this opportunity and make
lots of benefits. Click here to register! http://www.netcontacts.com.ng/?invitationcode=5430717285
That is the right step in d right direction but must be followed to a logical conclusion. She should be prosecuted for economic sabotage period.
Atedo Peterside too should be sacked for backing this woman among his other incompetences too wwhile Madam NSE should follow.Afterall both are ms
Madam, if truly your staffs jubilated over your sacked notice, then your case can be likened to a man whom his overall boss requested a recommendation list from his department so that ppl working under him could be promoted, only for him to tell his boss that nobody is worthy of recommendation. When it was time, other departmental heads and their workers were promoted because they submitted their lists. The man who refuse to submit his list did not get promotion because it was concluded that his department was not working, therefor himself was also not working that was the reason no list came from his department. Ques what happened after then, the stupid man resigned out of shame.
Women are disgrace to this nation, even patricia eteh
M/s Onogaruwa is a good woman. She is honest and refused to play ball. That was why the unproductive workers were jubilationg. God will see her through
Fellow nigerians…… If u hav LONG been suffering frm a particular sickness or disease with many trials without good result, and u want @ least 75%-85% solution without side effects (a 21st century method) with little or no cost… Please call Mr. Mishael…. 07039510736
MORE TO GO ESPECIALLY DG NIMC ! CHRIS THAT RUN GOVT OFFICE LIKE HIS FARM !!!
The last has not beem heard in imo state. A state that is currently on free on free education yet new intakes are to pay the sum of 70,000.00 for acceptance of admission. The government of governor rochas okorocha is gradually turning into a wolve in sheep clothing.
The last has not been heard in imo state. A state that is currently on free education yet new intakes are to pay the sum of 70,000.00 for acceptance of admission. The government of governor rochas okorocha is gradually turning into a wolve in sheep clothing.