BPE seeks collaboration with ICRC on infrastructure development

The Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ayodeji Gbeleyi, said it is committed to collaborating with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to deliver infrastructure to Nigerians.

The DG said this during a courtesy visit by the Director General of the ICRC, Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, and his team to the Bureau. Gbeleyi stated both institutions have a critical role to play in bridging the infrastructure gap in the country.

He noted that in line with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and the planned Accelerated Stabilisation and Advancement Plan (ASAP) initiative to provide 6000 megawatts of electricity by December, both agencies must collaborate with others to provide energy for the nation.

“The government has set ambitious targets, and with strategic collaboration between BPE and ICRC, we can unlock significant opportunities to achieve these goals,” he said.

The BPE helmsman expressed delight as he welcomed the one-time staff of the Bureau, who is now the DG of ICRC, saying he looked forward to a future of robust and productive collaboration working with the commission. Ewalefoh stressed the importance of setting aside any jurisdictional conflict that could hinder collaboration between the two agencies.

“BPE and ICRC have distinct but complementary mandates. We must work together to improve Nigeria’s infrastructure. Our doors at ICRC are always open for dialogue, and we believe in the potential of a strong partnership to transform our country’s infrastructure. He further stated that ICRC is a regulatory agency and that is what the commission is focused on.” he added.

The ICRC boss recalled his days at the BPE where he started his career as a youth corps member and later worked in the IT unit, saying: “BPE is like a school; it laid the foundation for my professional growth and development. Returning here feels like a homecoming for me,” he noted.