29 December 2011, Sweetcrude, ABUJA – Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) workers say the Senate’s adoption of its committee report on the probe of Nigeria’s privatisation programme was a step in the right direction, urging prompt implementation of the report.
A statement by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) applauded the Senate directive for the sack of Director-General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), Bolanle Onagoruwa and called for a halt to further sale of public assets.
The statement issued by the Head of Information and Research, Mr. Reuben Peter Orlu, described the decisions of the Senate on the privatisation exercise as a bold step in curbing the nation of corruption being perpetrated by the “ruling class”.
The statement read in part: “We commend the Senate on the adoption of the Senate Committee Report on the Privatisation Exercise that has taken place in the country over the years. We thank and appreciate the Hallowed Chamber for commencing the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee.
“The approval for the sack of the Director-General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) – Bolanle Onagoruwa is a step in the right direction and, it is hoped that within the next three (3) months, implementation of all other ingredients as contained in the Report would concluded.
“This singular bold step taken by the Senate is a smack of willingness to curb corruption in our polity especially as perpetrated by the ruling class.
“In fact, privatisation in Nigeria is not working. Therefore, we posit that every acts or intentions geared towards further privatisation of other firms should be halted in order to stop further looting of our commonwealth by the privileged few in power”.
