FG lists 91 firms for privatisation, commercialisation Soni Daniel, Editor, Northern Region
Soni Daniel, Editor, Northern Region
The federal government on Tuesday announced that no fewer than 91 public enterprises would be sold to the private sector in its bid to further divest from ownership of such commercial ventures and strengthen their capacity to make more economic impact.
The Director-General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises, Mr. Ayodeji Gbeleyi, announced the development at a media briefing in Abuja, but did not give the specific names of the firms to be sold.
Mr. Gbeleyi, who described the BPE as the lead agency of the federal government to drive the commercialization and privatization of its firms, said however that the decision to sell or concession any enterprise in the country, would be dictated by national interest, and nothing more.
And, out of the 91 firms listed by the government for further push to the private sector, the DG disclosed that 16 belong to the oil and gas industry, including refineries and depots but did not specify them, 12 in agriculture, 20 in aviation and 28 in stadiums an other public enterprises.
He listed the remaining ones as firms involved in mines and steel, transport, eco-tourism and two agencies that are owned by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
According to the BPE boss, the equity in 35 of the firms would be fully privatized while the equity in 57 of them would be partially privatized but did not also indicate the names of those firms involved in either full or partial privatization.
In a bid to actualise the mandate given to the agency by the Presidency under its economic growth agenda, the BPE chief executive announced its plan to focus on 15 strategic projects to generate N312.3 billion under the 2025 Appropriation Act through assets sale/privatization of six revenue generating projects and nine reforms-based projects.
He also said the agency plans to boost agriculture for food security and improve energy supply by accelerating the completion of strategic transactions in the power sector of the economy.
On lingering disputes arsing from previous sales and commercialization programmes, the DG disclosed that the agency was working actively with the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to resolve them.
Gbeleyi said: “We are engaging with the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, and the office of the Vice President towards resolving the longstanding ALSCON’s complex legal issues. As well as the EFCC to resolve the longstanding litigation involving the Foreshore Towers property in Ikoyi, Lagos, part of the non-core assets of the privatised NITEL/MTEL.”
He said the BPE is working with the Ministry of Budget & Economic Planning and other key stakeholders to develop a pipeline of catalytic PPP projects in the areas of airports, roads, rail, inland waterways, seaports,agriculture, education, health, housing, ICT and Security to boost the economy.
Answering a reporter’s question on the refusal of the agency to obey court orders, even the one issued by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the BPE boss declared that organisation under his leadership would not flout any order issue by the court going forward.
Gbeleyi said, “The PBE will not disobey any court order as we have already strengthened our capacity to deal with the law and fulfil our mandate as a lead agency of the federal government of Nigeria.
“We will continue to remain law-abiding and lead by example so that none of our decisions can violate the laws of Nigeria,” the DG pledged .
SOURCE: VANGUARDn
