A team from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has visited Delta Steel Complex to ascertain the extent of compliance of the core investor with its post-acquisition plans, according to Dr. Christopher Anyanwu, director general of BPE. The one-week visit ended last Friday.
Anyanwu was speaking during an interactive meeting with members of Iron & Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN), Steel Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria (SEWUN) and Delta Steel Pensioners Association at BPE’s head office in Abuja last week.,
The BPE boss explained that one of the main aims of privatization is to resuscitate redundant government enterprises to operate profitably and consequently generate employment and contribute to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and economic growth.
Anyanwu remarked that BPE would collaborate with other stakeholders to pursue the settlement of outstanding pension liabilities of retired steel workers.
Mr. Otori M. Saliu, president of ISSSAN, ,pleaded with the BPE to act as a go-between for Federal Government (FGN) to settle the outstanding terminal benefits which he said amounts to N5 billion.
Saliu urged the BPE to consider assisting the Steel Unions and Ministry of Steel Development in requesting for the FGN to accommodate and include their pension benefits in the 2010 budget which is currently being prepared by the Budget Office.