BPE PROBE: SENATE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS SACK OF ONAGORUWA, BPE BOSS
Senate ad-hoc committee which investigated the activities of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has recommended the sack of its Director General, Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa.
In its report presented to the Senate, the committee, chaired by Senator Ahmed Lawan said it found Ms. Onagoruwa grossly inefficient in the discharge of her duties.
Senate President, David Mark announced during yesterday's plenary that the chamber would debate the report today.
Furthermore, the BPE boss was specifically indicted in the illegal sale of 5 percent shares of the Federal Government in Eleme Petrochemicals.
On page 165 of the report, the committee recommended that she should be 'relieved of her appointment for gross incompetence in the management of the BPE and for illegal and fraudulent sale of the 5percent FGN residual shares in Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited (EPCL).'
Further recommendations of the committee are that the 'former directors general, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Dr Julius Bala and Mrs. Irene Chigbue should be reprimanded by the National Council of Privatisation (NCP) for seeking approval directly from the President instead of the NCP as stipulated in the Public Enterprises Act, 1999.
The committee also recommended that Dr Julius Bala 'should be investigated by the anti-graft agencies for giving approval to Folio Communications Limited for the illegal sale of assets of Daily Times Nigeria Plc.
In the report, the committee noted that it was faced with challenges of non availability of employment data, deliberate misinformation and 'hostile attitude on the part of the BPE and some core investors.
'The NCP should rescind the sale of Daily Times of Nigeria to Folio Communications Limited in keeping with the court judgements in suit (1) FHC/L/CP/1328/2009, (2) FHC/L/CP/244/10, (3) FHC/L/CP/130/2010.
'The sales of assets of Daily Times Nigeria Plc by Folio Communications Limited and its directors should be investigated by anti-graft agencies and the sold assets recovered.' 'Furthermore, the NCP be asked to reverse the sale of Transcorp Hilton as the owners have not kept to the terms of agreement regarding the sale.
'The NCP should rescind the sale of Transcorp Hilton for failure of the core investor to deliver on the following fundamental provisions of the Share Purchase Agreement/Post Acquisition Plans.
*Construction of a shopping mall within the hotel grounds. *Construction of short/long stay serviced apartments on the available land within the hotel premises to cater for corporate and similar clients whose needs may not be met by the typical hotel service structure.
*Construction of state of the art office complex for short stay guests who may have need for office infrastructure outside their immediate offices and * development of an amusement emporium to add to the hospitality profile of the hotel.'