‘Paucity of fund hinders FG reforms on transmission company’

The end to the poor power supply in the country might be a mirage as the alleged paucity of the funds had hindered the Federal Government from carrying out reforms on the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

BusinessDay reported that Chinedu Nebo, minister of power, had last July said the Federal Government was considering three options for the privatisation of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Bede Opara, president general, Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), gave the hint in an interview with newsmen at the groundbreaking ceremony of the union’s regional office in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

“We heard it as a rumour that the Federal Government is going to privatise the TCN. But we confronted government on the issue. Government says that they are bringing private participation not privatisation. That is what we have discussed with government.

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“What government means by that is that ‎all the funds needed to build the transmission line of the substations to increase the capacity of transmission is not all that with government. Therefore, let the private people come, build and then government will pay later.

“The TCN is not an object for privatisation, as we have discussed with government and if government comes out tomorrow to change what they have said, it’s a different ball game. But as of today, it is not for privatisation,” he said.

He said the Federal Government and the union had only discussed the possibility of allowing private investors to provide initial funds to increase the transmission capacity of substations, which it would pay back.

While noting that the cause of the botched Nigeria Labour Congress election had been identified, he however expressed confidence that the issues would be resolved by the national leadership of the umbrella union.

According to him, it is entirely a labour issue and we should not expect ‎the thing to go so free. It is not out of place that we saw what we saw because we fight against injustice. If there is anywhere injustice wants to be perpetrated, we reject it. It will be resolved; I am confident about that because the issue involved has been identified.

IDRIS UMAR MOMOH