FG, PHCH and TCN

 FG engages Chinese firm to expand electricity transmission network

In preparation for anticipated increased activities in the electricity sector with the recent take-over of the assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) by private investors, the Federal Government has engaged Xian Electric Engineering Company Ltd, a Chinese firm, to expand the transmission lines to make for easier evacuation of electricity to consumers across the country.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the project, expected to costs $500 million in the next two years, was signed yesterday by Chinedu Nebo, minister of power, and Ji jun Hua, general manager, Xian Electric.

This development is coming just as industry watchers and operators are calling on government to ensure that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is run independently, devoid of politics.

According to them, the current privatisation exercise in the power sector will only be meaningful if government ensures that a viable transmission network is put in place.

Evacuation of generated electricity has been a challenge for the power sector and the country as a whole, as larger percentage of the transmission lines in the country are weak and and incapable of carrying clean power.

“The transmission facilities are not strong. Even if generation improves, where are the facilities to wheel them to the people? There are investors who are interested in investing in the sector, but the situation on ground is not encouraging,” says an operator, saying “the government should deploy serious funds for the strengthening of the transmission lines so that the recent investments made by the private sector concerns in the sector do not come to waste.”

Akinwunmi Bada, former chief operating officer of TCN, says government needs to commit fund to allow for easy flow of energy to consumers by plugging the gaps within the system. For him, while new transmission lines are being put in place, the old ones should be strengthened for maximum performance.

Also reacting, Akin Adetunji, executive vice chairman, Terra Energy Services Nigeria Limited, notes that one of the challenges to be faced by the new investors would include issues of transmission, adding that a lot of investment needs to be made to improve the transmission network.

Reuben Okeke, director-general, National Power Institute of Nigeria, says if the arrangement and plans on ground are well implemented there would be no reason why transmission would be an issue.

Goddy Duru, managing director, Power Tech, says there are backlog of issues that are plaguing the transmission lines and these must be resolved before there can be easy evacuation of power.

Beyond the physical expansion of the transmission lines, there are also concerns about the administration of the TCN, such as the constitution of the board for Manitoba, the management consultant to the TCN, being given a free hand to run the affairs of the company.

The board issue has been unduly delayed, and BusinessDay learnt that constituting the board had been bogged by the fact that government nominees were yet to submit their curriculum vitae. And this is holding back Manitoba from taking effective control of the TCN.

Under the agreement signed, the Chinese firm is expected to, according to agreed technical design specifications with the TCN and Manitoba, develop/upgrade, deliver transmission lines and build new sub-stations to evacuate electricity across the country.

Xian is also to provide reference manual and adequate training for Nigerian workforce in line with the local content policy, in addition to funding of the projects expected from the China Exim Bank. Negotiation for the project was part of the agenda of the President Goodluck Jonathan recent visit to China.

The terms of agreement expect that the Ministry of Power facilitate the acquisition of relevant data and reports for the conduct of required technical and economic studies for the projects by TCN, and also facilitate the identification and acquisition of suitable parcels of land ‘And Right of Way’ of the execution of the projects.

Also, the power ministry is to provide the Chinese firm with the technical details of TCN projects list to be implemented and facilitate the execution of needed commercial agreements, as may be required for the bankability of the projects.

The project will take off immediately, Nebo said, and assured that much of the work would have been concluded during the two year it will last.

“Manitoba, the management consultant to TCN, will be involved in the design and details of the project. Besides, Xian is reliable and is one of the leading firm in the world with vast experience in providing solutions in the transmission sub sector. The nation should look forward to a delivery of quality expansion work in the transmission unit,” he assured.

The funding of the project was discussed by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, minister of finance, during the recent presidential visit to China.

The Chinese firm shall be solely responsible for the funding of the projects from the China Exim Bank through the government of China. It is a concessionary loan and at a very low interest rate.

To Ji jin Hua, the engagement of Xian symbolises the strength of the relationship between China and Nigeria, assuring of high quality equipment in the implementation of the projects.

The Federal Government last week completed the sale of successor companies to the PHCN to private investors for better management to ensure improvement in the provision and supply of electricity across the country.

With that, there is expectation of increase of activities in the power sector, which the current transmission backbone would not be able to match up.

Source: Businessdayonline

CAREER TIPS

Career Tips: How do I get Headhunted?
Talent pools and headhunting are techniques used by companies to cherry pick the best employees in the market who will drive the growth of their company. Generally they're considered more expensive ways for companies to hire employees, but this extra cost is offset by the higher chance that the new recruit will be a success.
Being a big fish in a small pond
Big corporations track the progress of top graduates and other high flyers they have identified as potentially valuable in the future. They make a move to acquire the services of individuals from this talent pool when they've got positions they need to fill. It's generally a long term process and your career progress may be being tracked without you even knowing it.
The higher your profile in the market, the more they will want you and the greater the rewards you can expect, so here are some tips on how to go about getting noticed:
Have a strategy - knowing what you aim to achieve in your career is the key.
Click to read more....
http://youthdevelopment.gov.ng/index.php/opportunities/career/381-how-do-i-get-headhunted

When I graduated from the University of Florida, living at home with my parents was not where I expected to find myself. With my degree in industrial engineering, I had envisioned starting a career immediately. But instead, I found myself job-less, stressed out, and mailing lots of resumes. In fact, being jobless and frantically sending out resumes is standard practice for most recent college grads these days.

If you’re in this position, it’s hard not to let it get you down – but while the job market is struggling, you’re not entirely out of luck. Here are 10 tips to survive, stay on track, and get ahead of the competition.

What to Do If You Can’t Get a Job

1. Stay Positive
Don’t be upset or surprised if you don’t have a job by graduation day. It is important to stay positive and continue your search. One way to maintain a positive frame of mind is to remind yourself how far you have come already – just like the challenges you faced in school, you will overcome being unemployed.

And remember, it’s important to set aside at least an hour each day to do something you really enjoy. Take a jog, read a book, or spend time with your friends and family. This can go a long way to help you maintain a positive attitude, which could be the very thing that lands you a job.

2. Reduce Your Cost of Living
If you don’t have an income, you need to reduce your expenses. And since you don’t know the duration of your unemployment, start eliminating expenses quickly to avoid depleting your savings and building up debt.

·         Move Back Home. Moving in with your parents has huge savings potential. Many parents don’t charge their children for rent, utilities, or even food. In fact, when I moved home after graduation, my parents looked at it as their last opportunity to provide for me financially; it was a kind of college graduation gift. It was also nice to receive encouragement and emotional support from my family during that challenging time. Just be sure not to mooch off your parents. Also, do something in return for their kindness, such as cleaning, cooking, and mowing the lawn.

·         Defer Student Loans. To defer a student loan means to suspend loan payments temporarily. There is usually an automatic grace period of six months before you have to start paying back student loans upon graduation. However, if you have trouble finding a job, six months may not be enough. If you find yourself in this situation, defer your student loans until you have an income.

·         Put Yourself on a Budget. One of the best ways to save money is to conserve it by implementing a personal budget. Determine the amount of money you have and how much you can spend each month for a specified period of time (perhaps one year). Then, limit your spending to that amount of money per month. Consider putting away your credit cards and using the envelope budgeting system if you tend to over-spend. 

3.                 Spend Time Networking

Professional networking can really pay off during a job search. Often, it’s not what you know, butwho you know.Here are several places to network:

·         College Alumni Associations. Being a recent graduate, you may receive phone calls and mail from your college’s alumni association asking you to join or donate money. Join if you wish, but more importantly, find out if there are functions you can attend to meet other alumni. People love to work with fellow alumni, and you may be able to find an “in” via such a connection.

·         Networking Events. Search online for networking events in your community. Once you begin attending these events, you may receive information for others not listed online.

·         Career Fairs. Career fairs are becoming increasingly common, and they can be hosted or sponsored by a school, a company, or even a city. Keep your eyes open for opportunities by checking online, in newspapers, and by watching the news.

·         Professional Organizations. Similar to college alumni, many people relate well to those who are in their professional organizations. In fact, it was via a professional organization (the Institute of Industrial Engineers) that I found my first job after graduating. Even if you don’t want to network, join a professional organization and attend a few activities in order to update your resume with current industry happenings.

·         Conferences. You can meet many people by attending a conference for your profession or industry. Individual conferences are typically held once per year, and can be held anywhere in the country. The cost to attend these events is often high, but if you leave the conference with some job leads, it could make it worth every penny.

·         Job Shadowing Opportunities. You can get a taste of a day in the life of a working professional by job shadowing. Even if the company for which you shadow does not have a current opening, they may remember you when they do have one. Check for job-shadowing opportunities with your college or local chamber of commerce.

·         LinkedIn. An increasing amount of people are finding jobs via social networking, and LinkedIn is the social network designed for professionals. LinkedIn allows you to display who you are, along with your degrees, experiences, and what specific line of work you are looking for.

4. Consider Going Back to School
This may not be ideal if you’ve been looking forward to working. However, if you were planning to eventually earn another degree, it might be best to simply get it out of the way, during which time the economy can recover.

On the flip side, if you were not planning to get another degree, don’t jump into a costly academic program out of frustration. As you know, earning a degree takes a lot of time, money, energy, and determination, and it’s not worth doing just to have something to do.

5. Keep Yourself Busy
While looking for a job is often a full-time job in and of itself, don’t put your life on hold because of it. Pick up part-time work at a temp agency, pursue your hobbies, or learn something new. You may even want get additional training or licenses to benefit your career.

6. Broaden Your Job Search
It took me seven months from the time I graduated to start my first job. I later realized that I had kept my job search too narrow by looking in a limited area, within only certain industries, and for one that required minimal travel. Had I been more open, I believe I would have found a job much more quickly.

Consider broadening your search to find a job quicker and especially if you’ve been looking for several months. Open yourself up to more locations, industries, career types, and entry-level positions, even if you qualify for a higher level job. Focus on getting your foot in the door, and try not to be too idealistic.

7. Build Your Skills
Every time you interview and are overlooked for the job, ask the interviewer what skills they recommend you improve. If you struggled answering the interview questions, ask a friend or family member to help you do mock interviews. This will also improve your confidence.

8. Volunteer or Work for Free
In some industries, it is common for a recent hire to work an unpaid internship before becoming a paid employee. If you are unable to find a paid job, consider this option as a way to gain experience and network. You could have yourself a paid job before you know it.

Another option is to volunteer for an organization such as the Peace Corps, Teach America, or AmeriCorps. Keep in mind that it takes time to be accepted as a volunteer, and these organizations require a commitment. For example, my sister joined the Peace Corps – the volunteer acceptance process took nine months, plus she had to commit for two years and undergo three months of training.

9. Start a Business
If the corporate world isn’t working out for you, take matters into your own hands by starting a business. Focus on an area in which you have a great deal of knowledge – for instance, if you are good with computers, a repair shop may be the perfect business to run out of your house. Consulting companies are also low-risk endeavors that require little start-up capital.

10. Start a Blog or Website
If you have a passion that you would like to share with the world, write about it and see where it goes. For instance, healthy cooking, personal finance, sports, couponing, and new technology are all popular topics online. It will take work and dedication to develop your blog, and it will take patience and smart social media marketing to build up a readership – but over time, you could find yourself with a dedicated following and a solid source of income.