By Ikenna Omeje
The Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, has inaugurated a 14-man Governing Board for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to oversee the company’s strategic direction in line with the policies of Federal Government for the power sector.
Members of the Board, which was inaugurated in Abuja include Bukar Bulama Buni as Chairman; Managing Director of TCN, Engr. Dr. Sule Abdulaziz; Appolonia Okigbo(South-East), Ahmad Talba Imamuddeen (North-East), Clement Omeizabaiye (North-Central), Muhammad A. Wazaram (North-East), Abdul Karim Babatunde Disu (South-West), Osagie Ediale (South-South), Gazalli M. Tukur (North-West), Nsima Udo Ekere (South-South) and Ali Haruna (North-West).
Other members who represent statutory bodies on the Board are Engr. Nosike E. N. (Director Transmission) Federal Ministry of Power, Hajia Aisha Omar (the Federal Ministry of Finance) and Alex Okoh (Bureau of Public Enterprise).
Speaking at the event, Aliyu remarked that the appointment of the members was based on their competence, expertise and wealth of experience in the power sector and other sectors of the Nigerian economy and are suitably qualified to add value to the efforts of the Federal Government to revamp the nation’s power sector.
He further urged them to take their assignment seriously as they have the key responsibility of overseeing the strategic direction of TCN within the context of federal government policies and that the success of their tenure as directors would be measured by stakeholders on the impact and key performance indicators over the next one year.
The Minister further stated that “Your role as company directors places a fiduciary responsibility on you individually and collectively to act in the best interest of TCN as you owe the company a duty of reasonable care in all your decisions. TCN as a company is subject to statutory and regulatory controls and your Board is obligated to monitor and ensure compliance with such controls”.
On his part, Chairman Senate Committee on Power, Sen. Gabriel Suswan, said that every Nigerian was aware of the high deficit in the power sector and charged the new Board to hit the ground running to enhance what is already being done by Minister of Power and Managing Director of TCN.
He added that a lot that needed to be done by the Boars in order to change the negative narratives in the power sector and cautioned the members to avoid issues that would bring discord and defeat the purpose of their selection to the Board.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Engr Nebeolisa Anako who was represented by the Director Overseeing the Office of the Perm. Sec., Tayo Adewumi, stated that TCN occupied an important place in the power sector therefore in carrying out such responsibility effectively and efficiently, the role of a functional Board was indispensable.
He urged the Board members to increase the transmission wheeling capacity in Nigeria which is very dear to the President and is one of the cardinal agenda of his administration.
Responding on behalf of other members, Chairman of the Board, Bukar Bulama Buni, appreciated President Muhamadu Buhari for finding them worthy to serve as TCN Board members and stressed that members were aware of the role power plays in the socio-economic development of a country and promised that they would work tirelessly to justify the confidence reposed in them.
