BPE kicks off commercialisation of four River Basins

The process for the partial commercialisation of River Basins Development Authorities in the country by the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, has commenced.

The partial commercialisation is kicking off with those of Niger-Delta, Sokoto-Rima, Ogun-Osun and Upper Niger.

The Director General of BPE, Mr. Alex Okoh, disclosed this at the kick-off meeting for the commencement of transaction advisory services by Agri-Africa Consultants A&E Law and Partnership Consortium, expressing delight at take off exercise.

According to Okoh, the main objective of the advisory service, was to restructure and reposition the RBDAs for partial commercialisation and optimum performance.

He also disclosed that the kick-off meeting was to formally introduce the advisers to the Minister of Water Resource, Suleiman Hussein Adamu, and other key stakeholders.

The Head of Public Communications of BPE, Amina Tukur, in a statement, said Okoh noted that the scope of work by Agri-Africa Consultant A&E Law and Partnership Consortium is basically to provide the requisite advice and support required for the federal government to successfully implement the partial commercialisation of the RBDAs in a manner consistent with relevant national policies, laws and international best practices.

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The advisory consortium’s scope of work is said to include among others, the conduct of diagnostic study on the four RBDAs and define their business objectives and to develop a strategic plan to achieve its operational goals; Identify, verify, record, classify and value the key assets of the RBDAs including status of title documents of their lands; Implement in conjunction with the BPE, the partial commercialisation of the four RBDAs; develop quality management system, chart of Accounts and opening balance sheets for the four (4) pilot RBDAs based on internationally acceptable standards and introduce operational tools developed through a one off training.

Additionally, the advisers shall incorporate, restructure and reposition the four RBDAs to be self sustaining.

Speaking at the commencement meeting, the the Minister of Water Resource, Engineer Suleiman Hussein Adamu, who was represented by the Director, River Basins Authority and Inspectorate of the Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. John Chigbo, said the RBDAs project was in line with the vision of the ministry and promised to support and cooperate with adviser in the course of the project.

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