Managing Director
TCN managing director sacked
The Federal Government has removed the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Usman Gur Mohammed, from office. The Minister of Power, Mohammed Sale, approved of Mohammed’s sack on Tuesday. This was contained in a press statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Office of the Minister of Power, Aaron Artimas. Artimas also confirmed the authenticity of the statement and appointment of Sule Abdulaziz in acting capacity to newsmen on the telephone. The statement, titled ‘Reorganisastion/new appointment at the Transmission Company of Nigeria’, read, in part, “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 Tran...
TUC tackles TCN chief over sack of labour leader
File Photo Following the sack of a labour leader, Comrade Chris Okwonkwo, by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has condemned the sack, describing it as an embarrassment to labour community. Comrade Chris Okonkwo was the General Manager, Special Duties, Transmission Company of Nigeria and he is also the President General of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC). His appointment was terminated allegedly by the Managing Director of TCN, Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed, in a letter dated April 24, 2020. In a letter condemning the act and sent to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, TUC stated that the sack was in futility due to the fact that the originating matter is yet to be addressed by the minister. “The crisis ...
CCECC: Why Chinese medical team is still in Nigeria
Mr. Michael Yigao, the Managing Director of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation has said 15 medical workers brought in from China to the country have not gone back because there is not flight. “Right now, commercial flight to China is not open, but when flights are open again, we’re considering the team going back to China. I think Nigeria is taking this very seriously and you can see it in the implementation of the lockdown and the suspension of international flights,” he said. On the activities of the Chinese men since they arrived the country, Yigao, told journalists in Abuja on Monday that the team has had a telecast meeting with the Minister of Health and some doctors in Nigeria where they shared their experience on how Covid-19 was fought in China among others. He added ...
CCECC: 15 Chinese medical experts are in our care
Mr Michael Yigao, Managing Director, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Nigeria Ltd, says the 15 Chinese medical experts that arrived in the country on April 8 are in the company’s care. Yigao made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja while reacting to questions raised by the media and opposition parties on May 14, as to the whereabouts of the Chinese medical team. This followed comment by the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, that the experts, who reportedly came into Nigeria to support the fight against COVID-19, were not his guests but those of CCECC. Ehanire, while responding to questions at the daily Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing May 14, said “the medical personnel are not guests of the Federal Government but that of the construction company”. Yigao...
Akwa Ibom governor commends ExxonMobil’s donations
Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has commended ExxonMobil for donating equipment and items worth millions of naira to curb the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in the state. Emmanuel, who was represented by Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, Secretary to the State Government, gave the commendation in Uyo on Saturday. He expressed the government’s profound appreciation to ExxonMobil for the kind gesture and for demonstrating its pride of place as Akwa Ibom’s number one corporate partner. “The items received would be a significant support boost to the state government’s effort to contain the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state,” the governor said. ExxonMobil’s donation included WHO-standard RNA COVID-19 test kits for 1,920 tests, 1000 units of samples collection kits, two brand new ambulances and ...
BRT users lament shortage of buses, time spent in queues
Some users of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on Friday in Lagos decried a shortage of buses being released for services since the ease of lockdown on May 4. The commuters in separate interviews at the BRT Bus Stations stated that inadequate deployment of the buses had increased the time they spent in queues. However, according to observation, it appeared the operator had withdrawn many of the buses from the roads, because of the government’s new operational guidelines restricting them to carry only 20 passengers instead of 70 per buses. Commenting, Mr. Tope Musowo, a media practitioner, told newsmen that passengers were subjected to long waiting in queue at the station, as most of the BRT high-capacity buses seemed to have disappeared. “These days, passengers are kept at Bus Stops for hours. ...
Chinese nationals arrested for alleged N50 million bribe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has apprehended two Chinese nationals for allegedly offering bribe to the head of its Sokoto zonal office and his investigating team. The Chinese, Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi of China Zhounghao Nigeria Limited, a construction company, were arrested in an operation that lasted four days. Parading the suspects on Tuesday, the zonal office head, Abdullahi Lawal, told newsmen the duo offered him and his investigating team the sum of one million naira to compromise him in an ongoing investigation into the company’s operations. “On May 7, 2020, I was contacted by the Managing Director, China Zhounghao Nig. Ltd, Mr Meng Wei Kun, in respect of an ongoing investigation against their company. I and my investigating team were offered the sum of N100m to compr...
EFCC investigates assault on Shawarma seller by officers
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has launched an investigation into the alleged assault of Ms Mnena Ato, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Star Shawarma, Makurdi, Benue State. The EFCC said in a statement by its Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, that it is not the character of the commission to assault innocent citizens. The statement read in part, “The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to reports of a recent arrest made by its officers at a pastry firm in Makurdi, Benue State, involving Ms Mnena Ato, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Star Shawarma. “The commission has commenced investigations into the circumstances of her arrest and would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all facts related to the arrest are unearthed. It is not in the cha...
Rivers governor demolishes two hotels for flouting lockdown order
Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike on Sunday monitored the demolition of two hotels for flouting the state’s lockdown order. This was in line with the state executive order 6, which banned the operation of hotels across the 23 local government areas of the state. The hotels demolished are Prudent Hotel in Eleme and Etemeteh Hotel in Onne. Governor Wike who spoke to journalists shortly after the demolition said that the law must be obeyed, hence the decision to enforce it. He said: “Government has no alternative but to apply the executive order which I signed before the lockdown of Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt. I called all the traditional rulers and council chairmen and told them to ensure that no hotel operates in the state. “We are not saying it will be forever. This is for now, so that w...
