Okoh Takes over at BPE, Promises Full Appraisal of Operations of Privatised Firms

By Chineme Okafor in Abuja

The new Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex Okoh, has formally resumed duties at the bureau, with a promise to ensure that all the business enterprises privatised by the federal government live up to the agreements they signed with the government upon their takeover.

He said in a statement from the Head of Public Communication of the BPE, Mr. Alex Eron Okoh, yesterday in Abuja, that he would also ensure that the privatised enterprises deliver to Nigerians the various services expected from them.

The statement explained that he said this at a brief ceremony attended by the management team of the bureau, and where he called for the support of its staff to achieve this.

According to him, he would also work to sustain the positive image of the bureau while at the same time strive to change the negative perception held by some people about it in the execution of its mandate.

Okoh said he would step up the post-privatisation monitoring activities of the bureau to ensure that owners of privatised enterprises like the power firms live up to the covenants they signed with the bureau.

He thanked the former acting Director-General of the bureau, Dr. Vincent Akpotaire, for holding forth for 14 months and called for synergy during the transition period.

Before his appointment by the government on April 13, 2017, the statement noted that Okoh was the Managing Partner of Ashford and McGuire Consulting Ltd.

It also said that he is currently a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, and has 32 years of experience working in the banking industry and management consulting.

22 years of this, the BPE noted,  were spent in the bank where Okoh’s responsibilities involved general management, leadership and organisational development.

According to the BPE, Okoh’s banking career also got him roles in corporate banking, operations and treasury, as well as projects initiation and designs.

It said he was the Managing Director of NNB International Bank Plc from 2001 to 2006 where his visionary leadership took the bank from a comatose state to a position of enhanced value for stakeholders.

“The BPE new helmsman is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program and has acquired international working exposure through programs with Citibank New York, Fidelity Bank London, Swiss Banking Corporation, Zurich and Grindlays Bank, Zimbabwe. His former employers include Nigeria International Bank Limited (Citibank) and United Bank for Africa Plc.

“He studied sociology at the University of Benin and holds a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Ibadan.

Okoh is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School,” said the statement about his educational background.

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