06 February 2017, Abuja – Workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies on Sunday declared that they would evict the newly appointed interim Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Mr. Usman Mohammed, from office today (Monday) if he shows up to work.
They also stated that Mohammed was chased out of the TCN headquarters in Abuja last Thursday after the workers protested against his appointment by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.
On Friday, the Permanent Secretary of the power arm of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Louis Edozien, announced that the Federal Government had approved the secondment of Mohammed as the interim managing director/chief executive officer of the TCN despite protests by the workers against the move a day earlier.
In reaction to the announcement, the Abuja Chapter Chairman, NUEE, Mr. Wisdom Nwachukwu, who spoke on behalf of both unions, told our correspondent that the approval of a new CEO for the TCN was unacceptable and would be resisted.
He said, “That announcement is invalid and unacceptable. As we spoke to you that day of the protest, we went to the building and marched the guy (CEO) out of the building. We marched him out of the building and told him that until every due process is followed, we can’t accept him at the TCN headquarters under this condition. Of course, if he shows up again tomorrow (Monday), we will still march him out of the building.
“By doing this we are not opposing the government, because even the National Assembly had equally confirmed the illegality of the appointment, condemned it and invited the minister. Another question is that why hasn’t the minister made any statement about this?
Rather, it has been the permanent secretary that has been talking since this issue started. Doesn’t this make any meaning to you?”
Nwachukwu alleged that the permanent secretary went ahead to make the announcement without consulting the minister for confirmation, considering the protest and the position of the National Assembly against the appointment.
He said the government should follow due process if it must bring in a new boss for the TCN, adding that it was wrong to bring in a new CEO from the Africa Development Bank because the institution was supporting Nigeria with loans for the power sector.
- Punch
