The Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman has announced a major shakeup at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) including the removal of the Managing Director, Mr Usman Gur Mohammed.
The Minister’s spokesman, Aaron Artimas in statement on Tuesday night said, Mohammed has been replaced by Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz as the head of TCN in acting capacity, with immediate effect.
The Minister also confirmed the appointment of four directors that have been pending, with immediate effect.
They are Engr. Victor Adewumi, the Executive Director, Transmission Service Provider at TCN; Engr. Mamman Lawal, ED, Independent System Operator; Ahmed Isa-Dutse, ED, Finance and Accounts, and Justin Dodo, ED, Human Resources and Corporate Services at TCN.
Abdulaziz until this development, was the Regional Transmission Manager (RTM), Abuja Region of TCN.
Sources have linked the MD’s sack to recent tension at TCN.
Daily Trust reports that there has been tension at the company since last week after the erstwhile MD wrote a letter dated April 24th, barring the General Manager, Special Duties, Chris Okonkwo from work over his tenure expiration two years ago.
Okonkwo had responded in a letter saying he was on active civil service and posted from the ministry of power, hence cannot be barred.
Okonkwo who is the national president of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) had garnered the support of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to resist the action with a plan for a nationwide strike to disrupt TCN activities, a critical player in the power sector.
A letter by the General Secretary of TUC, Musa Ozigi, seen on Tuesday, called on the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige to intervene.
However, another letter by the TCN Branch of SSAEAC, signed by the Abuja Branch Secretary, Yerima Hassan on Monday, backed Mr Mohammed’s action barring Okonkwo, saying it was not a sack but an end to tenure for him.
They called for intervention of the authorities to forestall Okonkwo from disrupting the activities of TCN.
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