Okays sale of defunct NITEL property in Moloney to Lagos State

By Peter Egwuatu

The National Council on Privatization (NCP) has approved the appointment of Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (MESL) as the preferred bidder for the concession of the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant.

The approval was given at a meeting held by the NCP which was chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,  with members drawn from the public and private sectors. 

The NCP Council also approved, on the request of the Bureau for Private Enterprises, BPE, the sale of a property of the defunct  NITEL to Lagos State.

Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity Office of the Vice President revealed this in a statement made available to Vanguard on Thursday.

He noted that the meeting also approved the commencement of the process of negotiations and the execution of the concession agreement with Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited.

According to the him, “Mr. Alex Okoh, the Director General of the BPE, which serves as NCP secretariat, presented a memo seeking the Council’s approval of Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited as the preferred bidder in the concession of the Zungeru HydroElectric Power Plant

“Energy Solutions Limited was chosen among 11 other companies after a technical evaluation of the bids by the Bureau and other stakeholders. After deliberations by members, Council approved BPE’s recommendations. 

“Council also approved, on the request of BPE, the sale of a property located at Nos. 3-5 Moloney Street, Lagos, (belonging to defunct NITEL/MTEL and housing the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), to the Lagos State Government for the sum of N2.5 billion.”

Akande further disclosed that the NCP also directed the BPE to conduct a nationwide audit of NIPOST properties to ascertain their current state and identify any forms of encroachment on them. 

The NCP members in attendance at the meeting, according to him,  included “the Minister of Finance, Budget & National Planning, who is also the Vice Chair, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Ministers of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu; Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu; Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, among others.”