AKSG To Set Up High Powered Investigation C’ttee For Ibom Power Company

By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
Barely a week after the removal of Mr. Meyen Etukudoh, an engineer, as the managing director of Ibom Power Company Limited, the Akwa Ibom government has announced its plans to probe the state-owned power company in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area.
Gov Umo Eno, who announced this, Monday, at the ground breaking ceremony of the Aviation Village within the Victor Attah International Airport (VAIA), Uyo, said government will soon set up a high-powered investigation committee to probe the activities of the state-owned power company to ascertain why it is not making profits and why government is owing the gas suppliers.
Eno frowned at situations where some heads of government establishments and parastatals operate government infrastructure as their private enterprise, saying this cannot happen under his leadership as governor.
The governor said the recent change of the leadership in Ibom Power Company(IPC), is a move intended to put the company on sound footing, as governmentcannot be investing all the time and releasing money without getting profits in return.
He stressed that his administration will not continue to put government’s and the people’s money to a hole that keeps sinking, urging other heads of government departments and parastatals to embrace probity and be profit-minded to avoid being fired.
Eno also charged heads of parastatals, such as Akwa Savings and Loans Limited, FADAMA, and any government investment to get their records ready, as it was time for government to reap from its investments.
According to him, as government begins to consolidate in 2025, any parastatal or investment of government that does not produce profits, will stand the chance of losing their heads, as their managing directors will be removed, and the places reorganised.
  “I would like to announce that in the next couple of days, I will set up a high-powered investigation committee.I am setting that up, and we will get to the root of the matter and we will know why Ibom Power is not making profits, why we are owing gas suppliers. We will know why the MD of a company has to go on leave and appoint a contractor servicing the plant to take over from him.
  “We are determined to be simple, that is our way of life, but let no one absolutely take our simplicity for stupidity. I will probe and I will understand why Ibom Power Company has remained a loss till now. Not just Ibom Power. As we begin to consolidate next year, any parastatal of government, any investment of government that is not producing profit, we will remove the MD and we will reorganise the place.
  “So if you are the MD of any parastatal, Akwa Savings, FADAMA, or whatever government have invested in, just go and get your records ready. It is time that we must reap from our investments.I have read a few things about IPC, and I am not going to make statements now, but let me say this. No one will run government infrastructure as their private enterprise.No, not under my watch.
  “If you are posted, and appointed to work in any government’s project or property, we will hold you accountable. We will hold you accountable that you will deliver and produce results. If not, we will fire you.
  “We cannot keep investing and investing. Everytime we are pumping money and we are not getting profit in return. That is not how I was raised and I will not continue to put government’s money, the people’s money to a hole that keeps sinking, it will not happen under my watch.”