By Desmond Ejibas
Port Harcourt – The immediate past Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alex Okoh, has expressed gratitude to Nigerians for the opportunity to serve the country.
President Bola Tinubu on Monday relieved Okoh of his position following his six-year tenure as director general of the agency.
Okoh expressed his appreciation in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
“When my attention was drawn about the decision of President Tinubu with regards to my exit from BPE, I was initially disturbed by the tone of the news publication.
“However, I was delighted that the mode of my exit has now been clarified to remove any connotation on my integrity.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my country in the space of privatization and economic reforms,” he said.
Okoh was relieved from his position, contrary to claims that President Tinubu sacked him.
The ex BPE boss thanked the BPE staff for their dedication to optimizing public assets and government-owned enterprises.
“I am certain that posterity will deliver a decent verdict on the various projects and reforms that we delivered across key sectors of the economy.
“The projects and reforms were delivered with a high sense of integrity.
“Finally, I am grateful to God for the opportunity, as well as, quite elated to have served the nation without blemish,” he added.
The former director general listed some of his notable achievements to include the successful execution of a comprehensive privatization strategy and divestment of state-owned enterprises.
Others are core investor sale of 60 per cent shares of Yola Electricity Distribution Company; core investor of Afam Power PLC and Afam Three Fast Power Limited.
“Core investor sale of 20 per cent shares of Geregu Power PLC; concession of Warri old terminal port and core investor sale of Nigeria Security Printing and Minting PLC.
“Additionally, the asset sale of Mineral House; asset sale of Makeri House and privatization of Omotosho Power Plant that is up to financial opening phase.
“Other privatization that is in the financial opening phase are the privatization of Oloronsogo, Ihobvor, Calabar NIPP and Geregu NIPP Power Plants, and Concession of Zungeru Hydropower Plant,” he added.
Okoh said his team also oversaw the origination of the Presidential Power Initiative (popularly known as the Siemens deal) that culminated in the operationalization of the FGN Power Company Limited, among others.
