 |
| Ibom Power Company |
Barely three months in office, it already feels like the governor had been around for a decade in the state preparing for his tenure. Few weeks after assumption of office, the governor who had served at the Energy and Power Desk of Zenith Bank, met with the Port-Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC, on issues bothering on regular power supply. Since then, there has been a relative stability and improved supply of electricity in the state in recent times.
The spotlight on improved power supply in the state is not just about the efforts of the governor, but what it symbolises. Akwa Ibom is the gas hub of Nigeria, meaning that more investments in the gas sub-sector would compliment power generation and supply, thereby increasing the internal revenue profile of government.
Already, a new wave of optimism runs through Akwa Ibom over the recent announcement by the governor that an embedded scheme in terms of power generation is underway. Governor Emmanuel, who made the announcement during an interaction with Government House correspondents after the monthly prayer meeting at Latter House Chapel, Governor’s Lodge, said, government will make sure it runs with the scheme and very fast too.
“We under-promised to over deliver and I keep saying so. For us in the next 16 to 18 months, we will have steady power supply. And as at today, we have already seen that improvement in terms of result,” the governor said.
There is also plan by government to get additional 20 mega watts of electricity for the state. This is sequel to the agreement signed by the state government with power firms in the state.
The chief press secretary to the governor, Mr. Ekerette Udoh, who announced this during an interaction with journalists in Uyo, in June, said already, agreements have been reached for additional 20 mega watts of electricity into the state supply system to further boost the stability of power supply.
‘‘The plans of the government is to ensure that the people enjoy 24-hour distribution of electricity in all parts of the state. Governor Emmanuel is passionate about industrialisation and to achieve this, the enabling environment must be created to attract the right investments to the state; more than that, the barriers to effective supply of gas to the state power plant have been addressed’’ Udoh said.
Ibom Power Company Keys Into The Governor’s Vision
The Governor Emmanuel efforts work beyond power distribution to power generation as it brings Ibom Power Company into collective consciousness. According to the managing director of IPC, Dr. Victor Udoh, who was the first senior special assistant to the former governor on power, getting to grips with power generation is critical to the overall development plan of government.
He said since the governor assumed office, there has never been a day Ibom Power Plant is not running, adding that for more than 75 days in a stretch, the plant, which currently generates more than 100 mega watts of electricity, has fed the national grid and Akwa Ibom State without outage.
‘‘What this means is that there is always power in Akwa Ibom, even when there is no power in the national grid. And the company is poised to achieve a 150-day running without outage. This achievement holds tremendous promises for economic growth by ushering in a new era of value addition. We understand our roles in the development process and we are repositioning to achieve set goals.
Looking back at the deplorable power supply situation in Nigeria, a general condition occasioned by the neglect of the sector by succeeding federal governments, Udo, said the plant was producing below 60 mega watts before he came on board.
‘‘ When we came on board, we were producing below 60 mega watts on the average, which was less than 30 per cent of our installed capacity and employee morale was low.
‘‘ Currently, we produce over 100 mega watts, representing more than 60 per cent of installed capacity which is double what we had a year ago and employee morale and community relations have improved significantly.
‘‘ With the approval of the Board, the configuration and commissioning of unit two, which will increase our available capacity to 80 per cent on completion is on-going.
‘‘ We have repositioned Ibom Power Company as an economic asset to the state while working with the shareholders to ensure effective privatization,’’ the IPC boss said.
He said that there is an existing gas infrastructure and a 330KV transmission corridor built by the federal government, which would make the phase 11, a reality soon.
The company, he said is in the process of obtaining an expansion license and upon completion of the phase 11, the plant’s installed capacity will increase to 671 mega watts. The phase 11 is expected to be funded by private investments. Some investors have visited the site and are pleased with what they have seen.
‘‘ We are now an active participant in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, and we are in the process of signing a Power Purchase Agreement, PPA, with the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company, NBET, and or taking other strategic decision as may be directed by government ,’’ Udo said.
Government, Udo said, has also moved to attract private sector investment in power generation. Already, Ikot Abasi Power, a consortium of engineering and financial companies, is working on an open circle gas turbine to be mounted on floating barges.
Already, Seven Energy, through its subsidiary, Septa Energy has built a gas processing plant at Uquo in Esit Eket Local Government Area. The gas facility supplies gas to Ibom Power Plant.
In addition, the state government has constructed a 132 KV transmission line from Ikot Abasi to Eket to connect to the national grid, meaning that, ‘’we now have gas; we have generation and we have transmission,’’ Udo said.
IPC STAFF, GREAT ASSET IN THE REPOSITIONING AGENDA
Just as Governor Emmanuel’s concerted efforts towards having a steady power has given hope to the industrialisation plan of government, so staff of IPC, according to the managing director, hold the key to management’s vision to make the company the best growing power generation company in Nigeria.
This is because the power sector is a complex and technical sector. Experts have stressed at different fora that power plant can only be managed effectively by professionals who understand the intricacies of power generation and distribution.
In this regard, staff of IPC stand taller than their colleagues in other power companies in the country. Recently, the staff ran the plant for 75 days, feeding the national grid and the state in a stretch without power outage.
The managing director who described the feat as wonderful job said the company has given its employees the right kind of incentives and work environment for them to excel.
‘‘ Our staff have over the years acquired tremendous experience; we have given them the right kind of incentives and work environment for them to excel. I am very proud of them. Nobody has ever run that plant without outage for such a long time and I have charged them to go 150 days. It is something I am very proud of and I am talking about only Akwa Ibom indigenes.
‘‘And that is the kind of Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel is trying to create; proud people who know what they are doing, skilled personnel. So, we are doing a lot of things to encourage them,’’ Udo said.
He said the new power generation companies are looking for staff with experience in power generation to recruit, so, IPC must do everything to keep its workforce.
In addition, the company has established a capacity building programme, even though it is not big. Under the programme, unemployed holders of Higher National Diploma and first Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering are brought in to learn to acquire practical skill in a power generation work environment. It is an internship programme designed to impart practical knowledge and work skill in a power generation company.
And if a job opportunity opens during the internship programme they would be employed. The governor is doing a good thing, setting the right kind of environment.
The managing director gave an insight into the programme thus; ‘‘we bring people into the company for training programmes that last for three or six months or one year.
‘‘ We have a very rigorous process of interviewing prospective interns after which, we put them in the waiting list and when the opportunity opens, we take them. The governor is very focus on skill acquisition because the industries that are coming need skilled workers.
‘‘People must get to know how to run a power plant, a transmission system, distribution system; I call it core competence and that is one thing I have been able to do since I came back. Some staff were posted to me as the senior special assistant to the governor on power by the head of service, Mrs. Ceicilia Udoessien and we exposed them to the rudiments of managing a power company,’’ Udo said.
In Ibom Power, there is also another incentive progrmame for staff motivation based on a balanced score card. Under the programme, goals that are focused on employees, goals that would enhance internal processes are set for staff and those who meet them are rewarded with two months additional salaries.
‘‘We have introduced all that after discussing with the employees. Because of the incentives, staff push to accomplish the goals. Some of the goals are set as targets. And if you meet all of our goals, in a stretch, which means that it is going to be difficult, we pay you two months of your salary. And if we meet that kind of goals, we would be able to generate the kind of money we need,’’ Udo said.
Udo also disclosed that a staff of IPC has been nominated on the board of the Health and Safety Code Review Panel of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. He is Mr. Iniobong Udofia, the head of Health and Safety Unit.
The 10-member panel is expected to review and implement health and safety standards in Nigeria’s power sector for two years. Mr, Udofia’s nomination is significant for reasons more than one.
Ibom Power Plant is the only independent power producer on the panel. It is also in recognition of IPC’s improved health and safety performance and strict adherence to industry best practices in health and safety.
On the other hand, the operations unit is currently running a continuous learning initiative called Operations Unit Learning Management System, OPULMS.
According to the head of the Operations Unit, Mr. Aniebiet Umoh, the initiative is a model, which blends one-on-one training with the use of internet and multimedia platforms to facilitate learning for the team members.
‘‘ We are taking full advantage of management’s directive for every staff to spend at least 10 per cent of working hours on in-house training. We are doing this by building operations staff competency through a work environment that also provides opportunities to learn,’’ he said.
Consistent with the vision its vision for growth and innovation, IPC management has keyed into the federal government’s industrial training initiative to train its staff.
Management in collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, organised a 3-day workshop on occupational health and safety; recognition, evaluation and control of hazards; first aid, a well as causes and prevention of fire.
No comments:
Post a Comment