Don’t protect underperformance in power sector, Group warns FG

Some public policy analysts have warned against undermining the performance of heads of government agencies, especially in the power sector.

The experts, under the umbrella of Association of Public Policy Analysts (APPA), insisted that the progress in the power sector remained pathetic therefore require support of the Federal Government to succeed.

Reacting to a circular by the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, titled
“Approved Disciplinary Procedures Against Chief Executive Officers of Federal Government Parastatal, Agencies and Departments”, which was believed to be issued after the sack of the Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria, National President of the association, Princewill Okorie said the development was a product of ill-conceived advice, which reflected a hidden agenda by the SGF to create a cabal in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

He said the guidelines for disciplinary actions would worsen critical sectors like the power industry.
Decrying the current state of the sector and insisting that it requires proper discipline to address prevailing woes, Okorie said the government’s disciplinary procedures would not only gag ministers, but also hinder effective implementation of policies of the administration.

“President Muhammadu Buhari should jettison this wrong advice and allow his ministers to have free hands to work with the boards to control the chief executive officers manning the various departments and agencies under the Federal Government.

“The President should realise that he has only 2021- 2023 to implement policies that will put his name in history. The President should also realise that the ministers he appointed have responsibilities to render account of how well they have served the nation within the period they have opportunity to serve the nation. Hence, allowing bureaucracy meant to protect nonperforming chief executive officers to frustrate them will not be good,” Okorie said.

Okorie challenged the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation to carry out periodic performance evaluation on the departments and agencies and make public the mileage achieved by the chief executive officers they intend to protect.