BPE DG Urges Remodeling of Privatization Programme

Dr Christopher Anyanwu, director-general of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE),  has asked Nigerian economists to suggest practical ways to re-model the country’s privatization programme to suit the Nigerian environment.
He said the reform and privatization programme at present, was tailored towards the capitalist economy which may not suit the Nigerian environment.
Speaking in his office in Abuja when members of the Nigerian Economics Students Association (NESA) from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka visited him, Anyanwu noted that the immediate challenge and preoccupation is to re-model the exercise to make it more effective, efficient and acceptable to the generality of Nigerians.
According to him, if the country must advance, privatization must be taken seriously because an economy driven by private hands is better managed, citing other developed economies of the world that have embraced the exercise to buttress his point.
He said if eventually re-modeled, the inherent lapses in the exercise would be eradicated; adding however that the task at hand was daunting especially with the perception by many Nigerians  that BPE is out to sell the “family silver”.
Anyanwu urged the students to avail themselves with hand books on privatization so as to be acquainted to educate other Nigerians on the gains of privatization.
Earlier, Chiemezie Ofodun, president of the association, , said the visit was to acquaint themselves with the operations of the Bureau and also have practical experience, other than theory. Thirty Students were on the delegation.