Uproar Over FG's Last Minute Privatisation

THE entire nation may soon be plunged into another nation-wide energy crisis if the feelers from workers in the sector is to be relied on. For instance, workers at NNPC have threatened to put down tools while their counterparts in Power Holding Company of Nigeria ( PHCN) are said to be ready for a showdown with BPE over the sale of the Port-Harcourt Refinery and the sale of the Egbin Power Station in Lagos.

The privatisation of these two Federal Government owned companies and several others by BPE has generated uproar in some parts of the country. The BPE had, penultimate Thursday, sold 51 percent of the equity holding of the Port-Harcourt Refinery to Bluestar Oil Services Ltd.- a consortium jointly owned by a group which includes business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Femi Otedola's Zenon Oil, for $561 million. The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), Mr. Patrick Akintokun, who said the sale was subject to the approval of the council.
Also privatised by BPE was the Ajaokuta Steel Company, which was sold to Global Infrastructure Nig. Ltd for the sum of $525m, representing the Federal Government's 60 percent shares in the company. The Federal Government had invested over six billion dollars in the company before it was privatised. The Egbin Power Station, which was also privatised, was sold to Korea Electric Power Corporation Energy Resources Ltd. (KEPCO) for $280m, representing the government's 51 percent equity holding in the company. The National Arts Theatre, Tafawa Balewa Square and International Trade Fair Complex, all in Lagos, were sold for N5.84b, N9.56b and N40b, respectively and were bought by Infrastructica, BHS International and Aulic Nig. Ltd. in that order.

However, only the sale of the Port-Harcourt Refinery and the Egbin Power Station have, so far, generated sharp reactions from workers in the power and energy sector. Militant youths of the Niger Delta region have also expressed their anger over the sale of the refinery.

Already, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers of Nigeria (NUPENG) and its senior staff counterpart - the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have issued strong warnings that their members would embark on a nation-wide strike, which would involve all the affiliates of the two unions, if the Federal Government refuses to reverse its sale of the Port-Harcourt Refinery. The leadership of both unions insist that the sale of the refinery runs contrary to the agreement earlier on reached with them on the sale of the Port-Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.

Last Monday, members of both unions embarked on what they called shadow strike ahead of a full strike which was scheduled to begin yesterday if the dialogue the leadership of both unions was having with the Federal Government failed to reach an agreement. The unions had warned that the planned strike would surely lead to the closure of petroleum products depots and this is likely to lead to scarcity of petrol and aviation fuel across the country. The workers' plan was confirmed by the Group Chairman of NNPC's branch of NUPENG, Mr. Williams Ibiba Inko.

He said both unions will down tools between 8 and 10 a.m. during the days of the shadow strike and proceed to offer prayers. During the period of the shadow strike, all NNPC workers were expected to wear red-crimson dresses to work as an exhibition of their anger over the sale of the refinery. Workers at the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) would also cut gas supply to strategic investments such as power plants during the period of the industrial action.

Apart from NUPENG and PENGASSAN, militant youths of the Niger Delta have also threatened fire and brimstone over the sale of the refinery. Already, one of the most dreaded militant groups in the region- Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta ( MEND)- has threatened to blow up the refinery if the sale is not reversed. An official of MEND, who identified himself as Joshua Minisagha, said what Alhaji Dangote and Femi Otedola had bought was 'dust'.

Other groups in the region who also condemned the transaction are Initiative for Non-violent Change and Publish What You Pay Campaign Group (PWYP).

The Coordinator of PWYP, Rev. David Ugolor, had complained that the process leading up to the sale of the refinery lacked transparency, given the time frame within which it was concluded. He wanted to know the criteria used for selecting Bluestar Oil Services Ltd. as the preferred bidder.

On their part, electricity workers in the country are also bracing up for a showdown with BPE and KEPCO over the sale of Egbin Power Station.

Already, Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has vowed not to allow KEPCO to take over the power station, insisting that a case concerning the transaction was still in court. According to NUEE's General Secretary Mr. Joe Ajaero, KEPCO was about to swim in murky waters. He alleged that the Korean company did not actually bid for purchase of the power station. Ajaero alleged that some top ranking government officials misled KEPCO into buying the power station, whereas the case was still in court.

(C)Okey Ndiribe--Vanguard