TheCable

Goddy Jedy Agba, minister of state for power, says he didn’t approve a statement credited to him and signed by Ofem Uket, his media aide.

On Tuesday, Uket had said that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the sack and replacement of the management of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

“The presidential directives as conveyed also directed the Bureau of Public Enterprises to set up a new management team of the AEDC,” the statement had read.

“In a memorandum of understanding MOU, jointly signed by the minister of state power Goddy Jedy Agba, the chairman Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC, Sanusi Garba, director-general, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Alex Okoli, comrade Joe Ajaero on behalf of the union, the federal government ordered the suspension of the strike [and asked to] given 21 days within which the outstanding emoluments and entitlements of staff will be paid.”

Reacting in a statement issued on Thursday, Jedy Agba said it is rather “unfortunate” that a press statement from his office did not reflect his official position as he was not consulted before press time.

He said the press and public relations unit of his office “did not consult him before going to bed.”

The minister stated that he has directed all publications for print and electronic media to pass through him for clearance henceforth to forestall a repeat of the mess created.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) had also explained that the decision to fire the management of the AEDC was taken by United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and approved by the government as a regulator.

The BPE, on Thursday, named members of the AEDC interim management team.