Managing director/CEO of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Joseph Chiedu Ugbo, has pledged the commitment of his administration to collaborate with other stakeholders in the power sector to improve electricity supply in Nigeria.
He spoke yesterday while playing host to BusinessDay Editorial team in his Abuja office. The visit coincided with his reappointment by President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term of four years. Ugbo was first appointed in August 2016.
His reappointment was contained in a statement issued by Laolu Akande, senior special assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, on Thursday. The statement also announced the reappointment of Babayo Shehu and Ifeoluwa Oyedele as executive directors, adding that three additional directors would soon be appointed.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the renewal of the appointment of Mr Joseph Chiedu Ugbo as the Managing Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company and Messrs Babayo Shehu and Ifeoluwa Oyedele as Executive Directors, respectively. This renewal will take effect from August 25, 2020 for a period of four years.
“The appointment of three additional directors has also been approved for more effective and efficient coverage of the company’s areas of activity,” the statement read.
Ugbo is a legal practitioner and infrastructure regulations specialist with extensive experience in electricity industry reform and privatisation.
In an interview with BusinessDay team, John Osadolor (director, Northern Operations), and Obinna Nwachukwu (assistant editor/member, Editorial Board), the NDPHC chief executive said his administration would also focus on improving revenue base of the organisation, recover outstanding debt estimated at over N160 billion and improve value to shareholders.
Other areas of focus in his new tenure include, tacking issues of infrastructure vandalism, increase access to electricity supply, work more closely with distribution and transmission companies, improve gas supply, focus on renewable energy for which 20,000 households have already benefitted from and ensure end users satisfaction.
His words: “We will do all it takes to ensure we meet our mandate and bridge the gap in electricity infrastructure in Nigeria, ensure power plants run well, ensure Nigerians have electricity 24 hours and do other things that will enhance the comfort and living standards of our people. We trust God to enable us achieve these and more.”
Before his appointment in 2016, he was the senior special assistant to President in the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria from October 2015 – June 2016, advisor (Legal) to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading plc (NBET) from July 2013 – October 2015, legal adviser on electric power purchase and resale contracts and partner in the law firm of Benchmac & Ince, Electric Power and Infrastructure Development Consultants from May 2003 to October 2015, where he was in charge of Energy and Infrastructure Practice.
Babayo Shehu, the executive director (Finance and Administration), has a First Class Honours Degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He began his working career with Bauchi State Development Board in 1981, was in banking from 1987 to 2003 and thereafter joined the federal public service in from 2003 to 2014.
Ifeoluwa Oyedele, the executive director (Engineering), graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree, Electrical Engineering from the University of Lagos in 1982. He is a member, Nigerian Society of Engineers and Institute of Directors. Between 1982 and 1992, Oyedele worked in both the public and private sectors and established his own company, Messrs Matcom Limited in 1992 and was the managing director of the company until his appointment in NDPHC.
