I have noticed that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has ignored the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), making it idle and that is not the best thing to do.
However, I suspect that the privatization of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) by the BPE during the previous administration and the alleged corruption in the process, followed by the failure of the new owners of PHCN to supply stable electricity, may be reason for the lackadaisical attitude of the present government towards the agency.
Therefore, the President should kindly know and note that BPE might have got it wrong in some areas of its assignments but that does not mean it lacks the skills and ability to carry out its tasks. So, BPE should not be discredited and abandoned because of the mistakes made during the privatization of PHCN. Rather the agency should be restructured and re-empowered for the better management, performance and growth.
Nevertheless, it is important to recollect that the relatively cheap phone calls Nigerians are enjoying today is as a result of the good work of BPE. The same BPE was the one that broke the monopoly in the telecommunications industry, which led to the privatization of NITEL and MTEL and heralded the arrival of MTN, GLO, ETISALAT and AIRTEL on the nation’s telecommunication landscape. Nigerians are now enjoying the telecommunication services of these companies better than the days of NITEL’s monopoly. The PBE should be applauded for that.
Aside the success recorded in telecommunications sector by BPE, it has also achieved a lot in other areas of its commercialization and privatization mission and the success or better performance of NICON Insurance is one of the handiworks of the Bureau that should not be forgotten in a hurry. Please, one mistake by BPE should not be used to discredit its reputation and the same mistake should not be allowed to darken the good works BPE has done over the years.
Let me at this point call and appeal to the President to reconsider, restructure and re-empower BPE to enable it perform better and continue to contribute to the nation building process. President Buhari should also not forget that the leadership of BPE has been in acting capacity without confirmation for over two years now.
Once again, the contribution made by BPE towards the development of the nation’s economy should not be forgotten in a hurry. For this reason, there is a clear and present need to rejuvenate and re-energise the BPE. That is the best thing to do for the sake of the nation’s economic development.
► Awunah Pius Terwase, wrote from Mpape, Abuja.
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Presidency: Ignoring BPE not the best way forward
