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Pentascope
moves to mend fences
By Aaron
Ukodie
IT
Telecom Editor
Officials
of Pentascope, the outfit in charge of the Nigerian Telecommunications
Limited (NITEL), have begun moves at several fronts to state their
position and mend fences in the face of piling allegations of
mismanagement.
Last
Thursday, officials of the Dutch firm, which won a three year contract to
manage NITEL and raise its market profile before it is sold to a strategic
investor, met with the workers union.
They
entered a second closed door meeting with the five zonal general managers
on Monday as well as 39 territorial managers and other Nigerian management
staff at the corporate headquarters. Today, Pentascope officials are in
Lagos to meet with the press.
The aim of
the various meetings is essentially the same, except the ones with NITEL
workers where they are making efforts to bridge the communication gap that
is reported to have existed between Pentascope officials and their
Nigerian colleagues.
According
to sources at the meetings, Pentascope presented figures to challenge
media reports (not Daily Independent) that NITEL lost N40 billion in its
2003 operations.
But the
officials admitted the loss of N19 billion as reported by Daily
Independent. Pentascope said N8 billion out of the N19 billion was
recorded as doubtful debt while N6 billion was classified as under-funded
pension fund.
Pentascope
officials were also said to have explained its plan which anticipated a
minimal loss of N7.2 billion for the 2003 business year and the factors
considered in the plan. Although the plan envisaged a profit of N21
billion, there are strong indications that NITEL may not meet the target
due to similar reasons that worked against it in 2003.
At the
meeting with the Nigerian workers, Pentascope officials reportedly
apologised for their management style which largely fenced the Nigerian
officials from the goings-on. They pledged to open a line of communication
that constantly briefs all parties on the progress being made.
When
Pentascope assumed the management in April 2003, a proposal from NITEL
communication department which canvassed regular briefings of the
stakeholders on the business plan was turned down.
Today�s
press briefing could be a further indication that Pentascope officials
have resolved to change their style.
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