By Chioma Obinna

Following reports that President Goodluck Jonathan terminated the $23.7million management contract for the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN awarded to a Canadian firm, Manitoba Hydro International, MHI, the company said it has not received any official termination notice from the Federal Government.

Reacting to the reports in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of MHI, Mr. Don Priestman, said if it eventually happened, the company would seek compensation from the government.

“Government has not formally communicated its decision to cancel the three-year contract. The company would certainly ask for compensation from the government, if it communicates its position as reported in the media.

“For now, we have got no official word from the government on the contract cancellation, and everything we know about it has been from media reports which are a heck of a way to do things.

“We have no official communication from the government up till now, and until we get some official notification to that effect, I guess we will have to wait to know the government’s position.”

Priestman said President Jonathan had only directed a team of experts to review the contract and the review will be concluded by next week, and dismissed insinuations about the cancellation of the contract.

Asked the next line of action, he said the decision was no longer in his hands, saying, “Certainly we have a case. We are owed a lot of money, and we hope to ask for compensation if we are communicated of government’s position that the contract has been terminated.”

On the state-owned transmission utility as well as Manitoba’s position, Priestman said: “We have to wait to take a decision to demobilise. Right now, we are in a limbo. We came here in good faith to do our job, but the mood here suggests otherwise, and we reckon that we are not in a fight with anybody; we just want to do our job.”

He also hinted that the company had met with government officials in the Presidency, adding that the current review was being done to ensure that whatever irregularities that needed to be corrected in the contract were effected.

Priestman, who expressed optimism in Mr President’s good intention said: “He (President) is also aware that there are some interest groups and politicians who want to derail the process. But it must not be hijacked by these politicians whose sole aim is to sabotage the programme for their own selfish gains.” he said.