Govt ‘liquidates’ PHCN, transfers workers to successor firms, agencies

THE wind of change blowing across the public sector has swept away the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). In its stead, 18 successor firms have emerged.

The Federal Government, which has stepped up the implementation of the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act of 2005, says PHCN workers will be absorbed by the 18 firms, which were created by the law. The other personnel will be transferred to agencies under the Ministry of Power.

Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, who confirmed the “liquidation” of PHCN, told reporters at the weekend in Abuja that PHCN corporate office in Maitama, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would now house the Ministry of Power and its agencies, whose offices are located in different parts of Abuja.

Also, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has also withdrawn the funds it hitherto allocates for the maintenance of the PHCN head office.

The Act provides a legislative framework for the reform of the power sector in accordance with the policies set out in the National Electric Power Policy. It removes operational and regulatory responsibilities of the industry from the government. It provides the legal backing for the unbundling of PHCN, formation of successor companies to take over the functions, assets, liabilities and personnel of the parastatal.

Nnaji said: “PHCN is no longer legally in existence and as a result, the regulatory agency simply in its responsibility had instructed the market operator that the PHCN headquarters is not a market participant and it should no longer get funds in effect from this month and that is just in carrying out the law; implementing what is stated in the law.

“Now, the PHCN workers in order to get paid, they need to be transferred to where they can be useful. You talked about redundancy, what’s the point of people just sitting in their offices doing nothing? Who is benefitting? Nigerians are paying their salaries and they need to be working to continue to advance the power sector.”

The minister stressed that what the government aims to do is to ensure that electricity workers justified their pay.

“They won’t get salaries if they sit in the headquarters; there is no money to pay them. It is almost like what we are talking about in the fuel subsidy case; if there is no money for subsidy in the budget, where will the money come from? We have a similar situation where there is no money to pay people in headquarters and so it requires that we get them to where they have specialisation amongst the 18 successor companies so that they can be paid.”

Nnaji said sometimes labour unions forget the rules of engagement, among which is the existence of relationship between management and workers, adding that “you cannot tell people who employ you not to come into the building. There is no place where that happens and so I think when you begin to distort ownership versus worker relationship, then we have the kind of situation we had a couple of days ago and it’s not good.”

He wondered why workers would be shutting government’s officials from electricity facilities and offices, stressing that NERC and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) should be able to go to any of the power installations without hindrance from anybody.

Nnaji said the sector is not created for persons but for Nigerians to get stable electricity. The minister declared that for proper reforms in the sector, Nigerians should not be personal about it. “What is important is that the workers are going to be transferred to either distribution, generating or electricity services management companies or to even NELMCO and the bulk trader properly with their salaries and they will continue to work in the sector, nobody will be discharged.”

According to him, “the PHCN building will revert to the power sector and house the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), NERC, Ministry of Power, the Bulk Trader and NELMCO. It is very important to consolidate the ministry because right now, you have people scattered all over the place.”

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73291:govt-liquidates-phcn-transfers-workers-to-successor-firms-agencies-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

Finally!! Thank God!
The private sector can now begin the transformation!!

We are in the era of rapid transformation! Nice move from team GEJ

Nice move

Occupy Nigeria my ass.
Carry on Presido!

Fresh Air!

Protesters who don't want change can also oppose this move if they like.

choking fresh air

^^^
Abi o o. Lol. But where would they occupy? PHCN or Barth's office? Lol

At least for this one, there was a clearly articulated plan which would see the PHCN workers absorbed into the new firms and also hired by incoming investors to man their plants.

Why did GEJ just lose his head when it came to the subsidy issue?

Occupy high tension power line!
Occupy transformer!
In your face. Hahaha.

That is what transformation is all about,take the bull by the horn.And if people want to protest about this,they can add it as part of what they want.GEJ carry go i beg!

Carry go presido, you are the best. Opposition will be put to shame.

More details needed

In the meantime, some are demonstrating to destroy the future. Welldone GEJ, things are moving rapidly!

Great News,  Thank God Prof's ministry had it right. Development on the way, next is infrastructures including modern highways and rail plans.  

@people whose dislike GEJ, at least give praise where it's due.

This is good news, yet pple feels GEJ has lost track. I think we shudnt condemn him in all totally cos of a single mistake that meant well. A breath of Fresh Air i think sense

[size=15pt]so we should forget about fuel subsidy removal  abi, [/size]

The great one of our time carry go!

Dramatic improvements in Nigeria's electrical power grid are ALREADY being reported all over the country, but Nigerians just love to hate and grumble, so rather than commend President Jonathan Goodluck on his provision of electrical power, he is being condemned for raising the price of gasoline.

The simple fact is that a HUGE percentage of the petrol purchased in Nigeria had hitherto been devoted to fueling home electricity generators under perpetual blackout conditions.  With the incremental improvement in mains power currently under way, those generators are FINALLY starting to fall silent all across the land.  Today's privatization of Nigeria's power utility company sounds the death knell for that shadowy cartel of profiteers and saboteurs who deliberately prevented the country's electrical power grid from functioning as intended, for the entirety of the past two decades.

Go Johnny Go !    Let the haters stew in their own envy-green bile, for they simply will never see past their own upturned noses.  

Phuck 'em all ha ha ha !   Johnny B. Good.  You sho' nuff is da MAN !

[size=13pt]UP JONATHAN. THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ALL MY LIFE. I AM FINALLY HAPPY THAT I VOTED GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN AZIKIWE. THIS IS RAPID CHANGES, !!![/size]

[size=13pt]HERE IN VICTORIA ISLAND. I HAVE NOT TURNED ON MY GENERATOR FOR ALMOST A WEEK NOW!!![/size]

NO MORE NEPA!! NO MORE PHCN!

I pray it works out just like it did with Telecoms!!

So, PHCN has already been scraped and the workers transferred. Is it possible to get some of the names of the 18 successor companies? Or am I to blame the journalist here that not even one of the firms is named in the report?

PapaBrowne:

The Federal Government, which has stepped up the implementation of the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act of 2005,[size=14pt] says PHCN workers will be absorbed by the 18 firms, which were created by the law.[/size] The other personnel will be transferred to agencies under the Ministry of Power.


Nnaji said: “PHCN is no longer legally in existence and as a result, the regulatory agency simply in its responsibility had instructed the market operator that the PHCN headquarters is not a market participant and it should no longer get funds in effect from this month and that is just in carrying out the law; implementing what is stated in the law.

“Now, the PHCN workers in order to get paid, they need to be transferred to where they can be useful. You talked about redundancy, what’s the point of people just sitting in their offices doing nothing? Who is benefitting? Nigerians are paying their salaries and they need to be working to continue to advance the power sector.”

The minister stressed that what the government aims to do is to ensure that electricity workers justified their pay.

“They won’t get salaries if they sit in the headquarters; there is no money to pay them. It is almost like what we are talking about in the fuel subsidy case; if there is no money for subsidy in the budget, where will the money come from? We have a similar situation where there is no money to pay people in headquarters and so it requires that we get them to where they have specialisation amongst the 18 successor companies so that they can be paid.”

Oh I see it has NOT already happened. It is yet to happen!!!  Nevermind then since I thought this news was of what had ALREADY HAPPENED, and not that which is yet to happen!

Good news Presido. Just be Bold and strong, Those for you are more. Well Done!!!!
Haters Occupy high tension, Occupy transformer!!!!

I think this govt is like a swimming duck- they look calm on the surface but paddle like hell underneath.

,....

the 36 states were grouped into 6 regions with each region comprising of 6 states. each region has 3 companies; one for generation; one for distribution and one for marketing. 3 times 6 gives you 18 companies.

Kobojunkie:

So, PHCN has already been scraped and the workers transferred. Is it possible to get some of the names of the 18 successor companies? Or am I to blame the journalist here that not even one of the firms is named in the report?

Should they name everything in the report? Or is it that you want to critique everything good? If the report is missing, contact the journalist/newspaper, better yet, the Ministry of power, I'm sure they will tell you.

I said this many times, give GEJ time and stop this Boko Haram stuff GEJ will perform. main looking at him he did't seems to have that harden heart like Ibb and co

Clapping, Lets encourage him now,
If you use right hand to rebuke a child,use left hand to encourage him,

No Comments yet! Let's wait and see how this cooks up! Tasty or sour? Time'll Tell,