By Our reporters
Etukudoh reacts, Accugas Ltd denies
Accugas Limited, a subsidiary of Savannah Energy Plc, and the Ibom Power Company traded blame over power outages in Akwa Ibom State.
The power outages crippled social and economic activities in the state for three days, culminating in the sacking of the Managing Director of the Ibom Power Plant, Meyen Etukudoh by Governor Eno.
The former MD had, in a statement while reacting to the power outage in the state, blamed the non-supply of gas from Savannah Energy Plc as one of the reasons for the outage.
Also read
- Exclusive: Rumbles in Ibom Power Company Ltd over alleged “Illegal Dealings” (1)
- Akwa Ibom to ruffle feathers in Ibom Power Company
- Submit audit report on Ibom Power Plant- directs Governor
He said “Regrettably, our gas supplier, Savannah Energy recently sabotaged the laudable efforts of Ibom Power by cutting off the gas supply to the plant.
“This loss of gas supply coincided with a reported fault on the 132kv Itu-Aba Transmission line which transports from the national grid in and out of the state, hence the statewide outage” former MD of Ibom Power Company.
But reacting, the Communication Manager of Accugas Limited, Okwudili Onyia, in a statement, faulted the claims of the sacked MD of Ibom Power, stressing that the power situation was solely caused as a result of the fault in the 132kv Itu-Aba Transmission line.
Onyia said, “Accugas wishes to strongly deny the misinformation concerning its alleged involvement in the current power outage in Akwa Ibom State.
“The power cut in Akwa Ibom State is entirely due to the reported fault in the 132-KV Aba-Itu transmission line, which, unfortunately, is preventing power from being transmitted from the national grid into the state.
“It is imperative that the restoration of the Aba-Itu line is completed as soon as possible. Ibom Power Company is one of 23 thermal power generation companies that channel power to the national grid, which in turn disseminates all accumulated power to each state of the federation through the electricity distribution companies.
“Indeed, Accugas supplies gas to enable 20 per cent of Nigeria’s thermal generation capacity and, as such, is a critical enabler of the Nigerian economy. Within Akwa Ibom State, Accugas has been the sole supplier of gas to IPC since 2014 and, together with other Savannah subsidiaries, has invested over $1.5bn in gas development within the state.”
However, an anonymous source told Straightnews that the immediate past administration in the state tacitly “withdrew” about N2 billion from the company’s account, remaining N600 million in its kitty for supply of gas, payment of staffers’ salaries, and other incidentals.
The source said withdrawal of the humongous amount crippled the smooth running of the administration, though the Managing Director was quoted to have objected to such withdrawal by one person at the detriment of the company’s health.
“Initially, the company could not comfortably pay salary to its staffers because it’s account was almost depleted.
“With time, the company was able to clear a backlog of staffers salaries and meet other financial commitments.
“It is good that Governor Umo Eno administration wants to probe the company, but the government should not stop the probe halfway. Let the government go to the nitty gritty of it to ensuring that there is no sacred cow and the culprits are made to face the full weight of law.”
Weighty revelations
On September 9, 2024 at the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Engr. Etukudoh made some weighty revelations, though the legislators swept such under the carpet during a public hearing on Electricity Regulatory Board and for other matters connected therewith.
In a recorded audio obtained by Straightnews, Etukudoh stated that the company got zero funding from government since 2016 till date of his sack.
He further mentioned “local and international debts, litigations and disappearance of $80 million grant from Federal Government. Till date, the money has not dropped.”
“The company was authorised to generate 191 megawatts. The GJ2 turbine was supplied by G5 from South Africa, which had no expertise on turbines.
“Since August 1, 2016, I was appointed as CEO of the company, the company has not received even one Kobo from the state government.
“The company returned N2.308 billion to government’s coffers in 2017. The company’s outstanding indebtedness from local banks stands at N10.48 billion. The state government got $11 6 million loan from AFREXIM Bank,” he stated.
“We inherited 38 court cases, but the number has reduced to seven,” Etukudoh added.
Collaborating the story at the public hearing of the House too, Citizen Matthew Koffi Okono (MKO) Productivity Advocate, the Founder/President of the Open Forum, said “Everything in this section should be done as part of a long-term plan which shall be captured in the Akwa Ibom Long Term Economic Development Master Plan.
“The Electricity Policy and Strategy Plan should therefore be a 30-50 years plan.”
Okono, in his well-researched paper presented at the public hearing too, noted “An audit report on Ibom Power Company was in April 2024 presented to the Akwa Ibom State Executive Council by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation (AKICORP), Pastor Imoabasi Jacob.
Shockingly, dust was raised on the authenticity and reliability of the said report which has been widely described as a “misleading technical evaluation audit of Ibom Power Company” by the leadership of Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation (AKICORP) and Savannah Energy.”
A copy of the paper made available to Straightnews pointed out that “The audit report was said to have been presented without the supposed auditors conducting any technical audit as directed by Akwa Ibom State Government.
“The non-rebuttal of the weighty allegation and further information on an alleged loan from AFREXIM Bank which according to media sources has accumulated to N10.48 billion as at when the report was made calls for serious concern by authorities and stakeholders.
“There is no gain saying that the basis for the holding of this Public Hearing is predicated on the fact that Akwa Ibom State has a functional power generation company, whose full benefit can only be harnessed by maximising the gains of the constitutional amendment that decentralised electric power sector in Nigeria.
‘‘As a matter of urgent public importance, EVERYTHING MUST be done to make Ibom Power Company unencumbered by strings of avoidable managerial, financial and technical controversies that may hinder it from playing its critical role in ensuring the success and the aim of this transformative Bill.
Open Forum, therefore, calls on His Excellency, the Governor, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and all Stakeholders to demand and see to the judicious, professional and transparent technical evaluation audit of Ibom Power Company to properly position it for the task ahead. Anything less will be tantamount to putting the cart before the horse. Akwa Ibom cannot afford such an avoidable man-made disaster, no matter the excuse or “reason.”
Though Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Power, Dr. Camillus Umoh did not respond to a call by Straightnews reporter, he replied to a text message on what is he doing to resolve the imbroglio in the company following the sack of the MD.
Umoh who is the Commissioner the Governor directed to take over the company replied thus ‘‘I am still reviewing, I will in the very near term issue a public statement after a detailed review, considerations and consultations. Thank you.’’
To confirm the story, Straightnews called Etukudoh on Thursday, November 21. He picked the call, but he refused to speak on the weighty issues raised at the public hearing and alleged sabotage by Accugas Ltd.
Later, Straightnews called on Etido Inyang on telephone, the board Chairman, but he did not pick the call.
The online newspaper sent a text message to him to confirm if the board had suspended Etukudoh and communicated same to the Governor in line with the provisions of Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) before the Governor announced his sack, yet he did not respond to it.
On firing of a CEO, CAMA provides thus “There should be a strong employment contract in place with the CEO so that the board can terminate the CEO directly following the course of action lined out in the CEO’s employment agreement. If not, the board’s legal counsel may be deployed to terminate the CEO and to anticipate problems.”
Concluded
