Ferdinando resigns as CEB Chairman

M.C.C. Ferdinando has resigned as the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).

He has tendered his resignation to the Minister of Power and Energy, who has accepted the rresignation. 

“I have accepted the letter of resignation tendered to me by the CEB Chairman Mr MMC Ferdinando,” the minister tweeted. . 

He added that CEB Vice Chairman Nalinda Illangakoon will take over as the new Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Illangakoon had previously served as Chairman of the National Youth Corps as well as the Skills Development Fund, Director of the Dangerous Drugs Administration and a Senior Manager of the Associated Newspapers. 

He is the Chairman of the Complex Business Group and its owner. A former army officer, Illangakoon is also a commercial pilot who has also won several medals in various fields.

Ferdinando’s resignation comes in the wake of his recent controversial statement before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).

During a meeting of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) at the parliamentary complex on Friday (10), the CEB Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando had claimed that the tender for the wind power plant in Mannar had been given to India’s Adani Group as a result of the pressure exerted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ferdinando, who is the former Secretary to the Ministry of Power, told the committee that the President had informed him to award the tender to the Adani Group as there was pressure from the Indian Government to do so.

However, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa later issued a statement denying these allegations of undue authorisation for wind power project. 

President Rajapaksa categorically stated that he had not at any time given authorisation to award a wind power project in Mannar to any person or any institution.

The President vehemently denied the statement made by the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board at the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises in this regard. 

Ferdinando had later apologized over the statement made by him at the COPE meeting, regarding the awarding of the Mannar Wind Power project to Indian conglomerate Adani, and said he withdraws the statement which is totally incorrect.

Issuing a statement addressed to COPE Chair Dr. Charitha Herath, the former CEB chairman had said that he was compelled without limitation to express the word ‘Indian Prime Minister’ due to unexpected ‘pressure and emotions’ during the discussion.