ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power, Khurram Dastgir Khan has decided to appoint senior officers of Distribution Companies (Discos) as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of two Gencos and Genco Holding Company Limited (GHCL) on deputation basis until merger of Gencos with GHCL is concluded, official sources told Business Recorder.
Sharing the details, sources said, a file was submitted to the minister by joint secretary Transmission JS (T), on September 5, highlighting a shortage, rather unavailability, of senior officers at Gencos and GHCL. JS (T) communicated the urgency of appointment of CEOs of Genco -1 (Jamshoro) and GENCO-2 (Guddu).
Minister Power, sources said, argued that keeping the operational and financial crises of Gencos in mind he instructed merger of Gencos with GHCL, adding that financial constraints of the companies do not justify and thereby prevent hiring of private sector CEO at market salaries.
He further stated that for succession planning, he with a panel of Secretary Power Division and Additional Secretary Power Division on August 23, interviewed the general managers and chief engineers of three Discos.
Therefore, for the interim period, until the merger is concluded, senior officers from Discos may be appointed on deputation as CEOs of two CENCOs as well as of GHCL.
According to the minister, this will not only add value to these companies through senior officers from distribution companies, but will also enable these officers to obtain valuable technical experience on generation-side of the sector.
Meanwhile, on September 6, a day after the Power Minister decided to assign responsibility of CEOs of two Gencos and Genco Holding Company limited (GHCL) to Discos senior officer, the MD/ CEO Muhammad Imran, who according to Additional Secretary Shakeel Ahmed, is no more CEO, wrote a letter to Secretary Power, apprising him that after resignation of Muhammad Suleman Malik from the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) CPGCL (GENCO-I) Guddu, the position of CEO CPGCL (GENCO-I) Guddu is vacant since June 30, 2022.
‘Burden of Discos’ overheads adding to misery of consumers’
He maintained that the Board of Directors GENCO-II, after conducting interviews, short listed three candidates and communicated to Power Division on June 08, 2022, however decision on this is still pending.
He further stated that GHCL on June 28, 2022 requested Power Division for issuance of NOC to transfer Dr Niaz Ahmad Memon, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) GHCL as Chief Engineer/ Technical Director CPGCL and give him additional charge of CEO CPGCL but no response was received.
Ultimately, on the departure of CEO Suleman Malik, GHCL gave look-after charge of the post of CEO GENCO-II to CTO GHCL as stop gap arrangement purely on temporary basis; the officer is going to retire from service on attaining the age of superannuation on October 01, 2022. He has requested that the Power Division may take decision on the hiring process of CEO CPGCL.
Similarly, BoD NPGCL (GENCO-I) Muzaffargarh has also finalized three candidates and intimated names to Power Division on June 22,2022 as the incumbent CEO completed his tenure on July 31, 2022. The BoD NPGCL has also approved incumbent CEO Sabeeh-uz-Zaman Faruqui may continue as CEO till finalization of the hiring process.
In JPCL (GENCO-) Jamshoro, the three year term of CEO Syed Tanvir Ahmad Jafri was completed on August 26, 2022. Hiring process of new CEO has yet to materialize; BoD JPCL approved CEO Syed Tanvir Ahmad Jafri may continue as CEO JPCL till appointment of new CEO. However, he declined the offer and left JPCL on August 26. Presently JPCL GENCO-I Jamshoro has no CEO whereas, no stopgap arrangement has been made so far.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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