From Dennis Mernyi, Abuja
STAFF of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria (NDPHCN) are set to resist government’s plan to appoint outsiders as replacement for sacked management of the agency by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.
Daily Sun learnt that the James Olotu-led management made up of five Executive Directors representing the six geographical zones who were appointed in 2013 at the constitution of the board will be replaced with new set of people who are not staff of the company.
The Federal Government had announced the dissolution of the Executive Management of NDPHCN Limited last week in line with its reform agenda. Notice of the dissolution was contained in a statement issued by Mr. Babachir Lawal, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) in Abuja.
The SGF directed the then Managing Director of the company, Mr. James Olotu, to handover immediately to Mr. Chiedu Ugbo, who had been appointed as acting Managing Director of the company.
According to the SGF, all Executive Directors of the company and the General Manager, Audit, are to handover immediately to the most senior officers in their respective departments.
He stated that the Federal Government appreciated the services of the disengaged officers during their tenure. But the senior staff of the firm are said to be uncomfortable with the trend and have vowed to resist such attempts by government. Their grouse, Daily Sun learnt, was the fact that bringing people from outside would discourage continuity as they leave when their tenure ends while the technocrats within the agency remain.