The Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji has accused the PHCN staff union of misinforming the staff as well as blackmailing the federal government and behaving like outlaws by mishandling their senior management staff over the privatisation of the company and their severance allowances.
Briefing State House correspondents after the presentation of the performance of the ministry on the 2012 Budget, Prof. Nnaji wondered why the union wants the government to exempt them from the nation’s pension laws so that they can illegally collect pensions.
The ministry’s performance this year is put at 52.9 percent out of the 21.5 billion received.
The budget presentation is in continuation of the president’s monitoring scheme to ensure transparency and effective implementation of the budget in all ministries.
The National Assembly approved N78.4 billion in 2012. N75.46 billion was budgeted for capital projects, out of which N21.5 billion has been released. The amount utilised is N11.4 billion, representing 52.9 percent.
The minister enumerated some of the projects targeted by the ministry to include the 17 Small and Medium Power Projects, the transmission companies, how to ensure stability and reduce system failures, expansion of the distribution networks, resuscitation of the rural electrification agency.
He also projected into 2013 plan and the need to complete over 156 projects that are ongoing.
He also made mention of the transition into private sector participation and the need to develop alternative sources of power.
Earlier, the special adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, restated the purpose of the briefing which is to ensure transparency and accountability.
The presidency’s official insisted that proper standards are set in the administration and that priorities in terms of service delivery are also met.
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