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FG yet to provide Authority necessary for full control of TCN – Manitoba

By on November 5, 2012

Manitoba-Hydro HQ Canada

Manitoba, the Canadian firm appointed by the Federal Government for the three year management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has said that they are yet to be given the delegated authority necessary to assume full control of the operation.

The statement was made by Don Priestman, head of Manitoba’s Nigerian operations.

HE said, “The first month, August, was a transition month, and according to the contract, starting from September 1, the schedule of delegated authority should have been issued, which would have given us full authority for running TCN. That has not happened. It is unfortunate. I think you will have to ask the authority why not.

“We are ready and we are keen to proceed. We have the people here, we know what to do. We have done something similar in other countries with success. So, we hope there won’t be much more delay before we can start doing what we came here to do.

“It is difficult to do a job when you are not in charge. Right now, we are working closely and we are observing, we are making suggestions but we are not in control.”

He added, “The TCN is insolvent; so, the whole approach to running the company is going to have to change fundamentally. At present, the amount of money TCN gets is not at all certain. We are operating under what is called a minimum operating budget allocation. So, we are living from hand to mouth; we can’t plan ahead.

“What we want to do is completely change that approach and have a more professional best practices approach where we make long term plans. We issue budgets accordingly and then we know where we are going and how much we will have to do the job.

“At present, the company does not know how much we are going to be getting and that means maintenance has been a serious problem.”