Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) yesterday clarified that increasing generation capacity is not its immediate priority because it already has stranded energy due to inadequate wheeling capacity in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
This clarification was contained in the refutal of the company to an online news publication titled : “Niger Delta Company Boss, Jennifer Adighije Accused of Reckless Spendings, Corruption as Staff Petition EFCC, Presidency.”
The publication among other things accused NDPHC of zero megawatt despite reckless spending.
Responding, the Head, Corporate and External Communications, Mr. Emmanuel Ojor, said, the company is being owed hundreds of billion Naira for energy already supplied into the market.
His words: “NDPHC personnel are also clearly aware that adding new generation capacity is not the immediate priority of NDPHC at this time, given the significant stranded capacity already available in the Company’s fleet of plants, the lack of adequate wheeling capacity in the national grid to evacuate and dispatch this power, and the hundreds of billions of Naira currently owed to NDPHC for power that has already been generated and delivered to the electricity market.”
NDPHC also refuted the allegation of using private jets for official trips.
According to the rejoinder, as the head of a strategic national power company with critical assets spread across all geopolitical zones of the country, the Managing Director is frequently required to meet urgent operational, regulatory and stakeholder obligations in several locations within very tight timelines.
The rejoinder stressed that on rare occasions, and only where strictly necessary, chartered or private flights have been utilised to enable her discharge these responsibilities when commercial airline schedules cannot practically accommodate the time‑sensitive nature of such official engagements.
These instances, said Ojor, even though are few and far between, are strictly for official purposes, and remain fully within the approved operational budget of the office of the Managing Director, with the knowledge and approval of the Board.
On the alleged N20 million donation scandal, the rejoinder said the article seeks to portray an act of charity involving Nollywood actress Sarah Martins as evidence of impropriety, referring to a viral video in which the Managing Director was seen presenting a sum of ₦20 million in foreign currency, purportedly on behalf of Mr. Seyi Tinubu.
NDPHC added that “This characterisation is both unfair and inaccurate. The gesture in question was a charitable act which Engr. Adighije conveyed in her personal capacity, based on a request from friends — including, as publicly clarified, friends of Mr. Seyi Tinubu — who were moved by the circumstances surrounding the actress’s charitable activities. Mr. Tinubu himself has openly stated that he was aware of, and supportive of, efforts to assist the actress, but that the funds represented contributions from a group of his friends rather than from him personally.
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“At no point did the Managing Director state or imply that NDPHC funds were involved in this donation. The MD prior to attaining this position had always been a philanthropist and so the attempt to twist a private act of charity, undertaken outside her official functions, into an allegation of financial misconduct is therefore deeply damaging.
“As a Nigerian citizen and professional, Engr. Adighije is entitled, like every other individual, to maintain friendships and to engage in charitable activities in her personal capacity within the confines of the law.”
The rejoinder said for the avoidance of doubt, the Managing Director cannot, and has not, unilaterally approved any such expenditure of 900 million naira for any event.
Ojor recalled that the story alleges that the Managing Director manipulated promotion examinations and “changed the promotion cut‑off marks to favour her loyalists” and references a so‑called “Save Our Career” petition to the NDPHC Board.
According to the rejoinder, The claims are entirely false.
Ojor stressed that the current promotion exercises within NDPHC were conceived and implemented to promote merit, professionalism, equity, fairness and career progression, in line with Engr. Adighije’s clear commitment to continuing professional development leveraging technology to improve working conditions for all staff.
