Benjamin Dikki, director general, Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) has asked anxious Nigerians desirous of steady public power supply to be patient as new core investors in the sector streamline strategies to get the country on sound footing.
Dikki stated at the public presentation of the Sapele Power company in Delta state to its core investor, Messrs CMEC/EuraAfric Energy Ltd that Nigerians were more than ever before “closer to a new dawn where power would be taken for granted.”
He assured that that in a few years, “the globally acclaimed successes recorded in the Telecom reforms would pale when compared to the opportunities expected in the power sector reform.”
Dikki said the determined leadership of the President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Mohammed Sambo, and their “insistence to the strict adherence to transparency and accountability was the difference between success and failure of the transaction.”
The country’s political leadership, Dikki noted, “has made a conscious effort to make the private sector the driver of economic growth in Nigeria; adding that the power sector reform was part of the administration’s avowed commitment to make Nigeria better than it met it.”
He stated that it was not by chance that Nigeria’s power sector reform and privatization was “adjudged the biggest, most transparent and comprehensive power sector privatization in recent history.”
On the low and still erratic power situation nationwide, despite the privatization efforts and promises of greater stability; Dikki assured the situation would improve drastically soon. He assured that the Sapele Power Plc would soon achieve the maximum installed capacity and begin to expand capacity, creating more jobs and opportunities for all Nigerians.
Chigbo Anichebe, head, public communications at BPE told Nigeria CommunicaitonsWeek that following the emergence of CMEC/EURAFRIC ENERGY LTD as the preferred bidder for Sapele Power Plc. for a bid consideration of $201 million, the company paid up $50,250,000, which is 25 per cent of the consideration by the deadline of March 21, 2013 as was required.
However, it was unable to complete the payment of the balance 75 per cent by the end of deadline on August 21, 2013; it has none-the-less paid an additional amount of $79,186,656.55 to bring its total amount paid to $129,436,656.55.
Anichebe stated that CMEC/EURAFRIC requested for extension of the payment deadline in accordance with the Share Sale Agreement. “This request was carefully considered and the Attorney General’s advice sought before the National Council on Privatization (NCP) gave its approval. On that basis, the Bureau wrote to CMEC/EURAFRIC conveying the approval, but quickly reminded the company that the extension was subject to its payment of the penalty, which is interest on the outstanding balance (at the prevailing rate of LIBOR + 5%) with effect from the day of default. The company was also warned that the extension, which would elapse on January 29, 2014, was final. The payment deadline was met by the core investor, hence the handover,” said Anichebe.
The handover marks the concluding stage of the transaction for five (5) generation companies and ten (10) distribution companies. The remaining two successor companies (Afam Power Plc. and Kaduna Disco) will be handed over to their respective owners after payment of the 75 per cent balance of the acquisition cost.