BPE denies alleged plan to sell TCN
Oredola Adeola
Contrary to the claims in some quarters that the Nigerian Government is quietly negotiating with some private sector players to sell the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), has denied the allegation, claiming that the speculation was an attempt by some mischief makers to escalate the negotiations between the Federal Government and the National Union of Electricity Employees on welfare related matters.
The BPE Head of Communication said, “The attention of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has been drawn to a news publication alleging that “the Federal Government is currently gearing up to put the Transmission Company of Nigeria, up for Sale.”
“The BPE wishes to state that the news is completely false in all its ramifications. The allegation is a mere fabrication by mischief makers aimed at creating room for another needless strike by electricity workers.”
According to the Bureau, the actions of the federal government in the power sector were guided by well-articulated policy documents and extant legislation.
BPE further noted that none of the Nigerian Electric Power Policy (NEPP) documents, which formed the basis for the enactment of the Nigerian Electricity Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA), 2005, and the 2010 RoadMap for the Reform of the power sector envisaged the privatization of TCN.
The agency said that it is on the basis of clear ownership of the TCN that a Management Contract was put in place to reorganize and optimize the operations of TCN during the 2013 privatization exercise.
BPE, therefore, insisted that the Nigerian Government has not changed its policy nor amended the EPSRA as it relates to TCN. The Bureau further encouraged electricity sector workers and the general public to ignore what it described as a “false publication”.
