By Omobolanle Shosanya
The National Council on Privatisation (NCP),has approved nine firms to immediately carry out a nationwide verification of NIPOST Properties & Development Company Limited.
Ibeh, Uzoma Chidi, the Head, Public Communications, Bureau of Public Enterprises, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
The firms which are divided into the six-geo-political zones of the country are, Oghogho Ayanru, Raji Adewale Associates, Alaba Odunlanmi, Law Field Barristers and solicitors and B.A. Wali & Associates.
Others are, Aliyu Abubakar & Co, Bola Fabola, Tayo Osuntogun & Co and Primal Chambers.
This was one of the high points at the 2nd meeting of the Council for 2023 held at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, on Tuesday, February 21st, 2023,the statement said.
According to the statement,the firms are to provide proposals for carrying out the assignment based on: Validating the titles of the properties, thereby determining if the properties were duly registered at the relevant Land Registries; determining the ownership status of the properties as well as the type, size, and location of the properties; and providing any additional information that will enhance the audit of the properties.
The statement added that the firms are divided into the six geo-political zones as follows: Oghogho Ayanru, South East Batch, Raji Adewale Associates, South East Batch 2, Alaba Odunlanmi, South South Batch 1, Law Field Barristers and Solicitors, South South Batch 2, B.A. Wali & Associates, North West, Aliyu Abubakar & Co, North East, Bola Fabola, North Central, Tayo Osuntogun & Co, and Primal Chambers, South West Batch 2.
Premium News reports that worker of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST),last month staged a protest against the ongoing privatisation process of the postal agency in Abuja .
Under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) and the National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE), decried that the privatisation plan will “throw them into unemployment market and cause economic hardship to their families.”
Expressing their rejection of the privatisation process which they said has no employment provision or compensation for them, the workers called on President Muhammadu Buhari and every well meaning Nigerian to intervene on the matter and save thousands of their members from being thrown into the unemployment market in the country.
SSASCGOC General Secretary, Comrade Ayo Olorunfemi, said, “BPE began the process of commercialisation in the Nigerian Postal Service with the assurance of making NIPOST a more service-oriented and profit-driven organisation.
“The proposed reform, according to the BPE, will not only improve the traditional services of NIPOST but will also bring about new revenue streams for the organisation, which will in turn greatly impact the morale and welfare of staffers.”
Among the burning issues the protesters raised was that the composition of the Board of Directors of the companies in charge of the agency showed that NIPOST as an entity has no influence or stake in the subsidiaries.
“Section C of the objects for which the NIPOST Properties and Development Company Limited is established clearly states that the company can sell, lease or exchange the assets of NIPOST, a provision that empowers the company to sell off NIPOST assets if they so desire”.
“The proposed plan by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami to share/hand over NIPOST properties to these companies is not necessary, as there is no basis for asset sharing since the said subsidiaries are owned by NIPOST as claimed by BPE.
“The recruitment of management staff of these companies was carried out without considering the current management staff of NIPOST who are experienced in this sector and this management is a separate entity from NIPOST management as it neither reports to the PMG nor form part of NIPOST top management.
“The salaries of the management staff of these companies far outweigh the salaries of top management of NIPOST, a disparity that is alarming, whereas the mid-level staff of these companies are placed on the NIPOST condition of service and salary”
