RE: CRISIS IN EKO ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION PLC AND SACK OF TINUADE SANDA – NERC  PROVIDES FIRM CLARIFICATION 

We wish to notify all stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and the general public that NERC has issued a letter dated 27th March 2024 to clarify its directive that was previously misunderstood. This clarification pertains to the recall of MD/CEO Dr. Tinuade Sanda and other Management Staff to the parent company, WPG Limited.

NERC has acknowledged the significant public interest surrounding the recent events at EKEDP and the varying interpretations of the resolutions outlined in the aforementioned letter, particularly in relation to paragraphs (4b) and 4(c). Therefore, we are providing further clarifications as follows:

1. Paragraph 4b – All EKEDP staff, regardless of their employment status, will be governed by the Conditions of Service of EKEDP. This resolution was made based on EKEDP’s submission during the meeting on 20th March 2024, stating that the Condition of Service (“CoS”) of EKEDP did not apply to Seconded personnel from third-party providers.
2. Paragraph 4c – The EKEDP Board is tasked with completing its investigation into the allegation of Ghost workers to identify all individuals responsible for revenue losses to EKEDP by 27th March 2024. If the implicated parties are seconded from third-party providers and are not subject to the EKEDP CoS, they are to be recalled to their parent companies to prevent further losses to EKEDP.

We commend the Commission for its proactive measures and the clear clarifications provided, which affirm that:

(A) all employment contracts for EKEDP personnel, whether from WPG, EKEDP, or elsewhere, must adhere to the Condition of Service of EKEDP.

(B) The legal grounds for the recall of seconded staff have been invalidated, as the initial recall was based on a misinterpretation of the previous directive.

The contract of employment for certain staff members, namely Wola Joseph-Condotti, Sheri Adegbenro, and Aik Alenkhe, has been terminated due to their actions resulting in a loss of revenue for EKEDP. These individuals have undergone disciplinary proceedings, which have been disputed by some Board members, including the representative from the Federal Government’s Bureau of Public Enterprise.

As a result, the seconded Management staff from WPG Limited, whose recall was a mistake, are instructed to return to their respective duties and offices, except for the aforementioned individuals who have already been identified and subjected to disciplinary proceedings for allegations of fraud and negligence related to ghost workers and former staff, resulting in financial losses for the company.

We will fully cooperate with the Nigerian Police, the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Body of Benchers, and relevant members of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee to take further actions and bring closure to the alleged fraud.

We would like to express our gratitude to the Regulator for providing this clarification, as well as to the NESI stakeholders, the general public, and the staff of EKEDP and WPG Limited for their patience throughout this process.

Therefore, all initial orders or actions that were taken mistakenly are immediately reversed.