FG fires MD of power transmission company

Usman Gur Mohammed has been relieved of his appointment as the managing director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Sale Mamman, minister of power, approved of his sack on Tuesday, appointing Sule Abdulaziz to replace him in acting capacity.

“As part of continuing measures to reposition and improve the performance of the power Sector in the country, the Honorable Minister of Power Engr. Sale Mamman hereby announces major changes at the Transmission Company of Nigeria,” Aaron Artimas, spokesman of the minister, said in a statement.

“Accordingly, the Managing Director of the TCN, Usman Gur Mohammed has been removed from office with immediate effect. He is being replaced with Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, as Managing Director, in acting capacity.

“The Honorable Minister has also confirmed the appointment of four directors who have been on acting position in the Company for some time.”

They are Victor Adewumi, executive director, transmission services provider; M. J. Lawal, executive director, independent systems operator; Ahmed lsa-Dutse, executive director, finance and accounts; and Justin Dodo, executive director, human resources and corporate services.

The statement said President Muhammadu Buhari approved of all the changes and appointments.

While the distribution and generation sub-sectors were sold to private investors during privatisation of the sector in 2013, the TCN is fully owned by the federal government.

It transmits the energy produced by the generation companies to the distribution companies (DisCos).

In December, the minister of power asked Marilyn Amobi, managing director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Limited (NBET), to step down with immediate effect in order to “restore sanity” in the management of the agency.

The minister also ordered the indefinite suspension of Damilola Ogunbiyi, former managing director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

But Buhari later reversed the minister’s order.