Speaker orders government to explain Kul Man Ghising’s zero performance score

KATHMANDU: The Speaker of the House of Representatives has directed the government to provide an explanation regarding the zero score received by Kulman Ghising, the Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), in his performance evaluation.

Immediately after the House of Representatives meeting commenced on Wednesday, opposition parties demanded answers from the government about the score Ghising received. They requested the Speaker to issue a ruling on the matter.

Rule 15 of the House of Representatives Regulations includes provisions for zero-hour and special time discussions. Sub-rule 2 stipulates that the relevant minister must respond to issues raised during emergency, zero-hour, or special time within seven days in the House. Accordingly, Speaker Ghimire directed the ministers to provide a response.

Before the Speaker’s directive, lawmakers from the main opposition Maoist Centre, as well as opposition parties such as the National Independent Party (Rastriya Swatantra Party – RSP) and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), drew the government’s attention to claims that the government was attempting to remove Kulman Ghising. They also sought clarification from the government about Ghising receiving a zero score in his performance evaluation.

Hitraj Pandey, Chief Whip of the CPN (Maoist Centre), questioned why someone performing well was given a zero score. “Why was someone who has been leading the Electricity Authority to profit given a zero score?” he asked. He pointed out that while the government did not assess its own performance, it assigned a zero score to someone working at the NEA.

Pandey noted that while public institutions were incurring losses, Ghising had led the NEA to profitability. He recalled that agreements to export electricity to India and Bangladesh were made during Ghising’s tenure. “Today it’s clarification, tomorrow it’s clarification, and the day after tomorrow it’s clarification—amid all this, what is the government thinking? What does it have to say? I want to draw serious attention to this, and through the Speaker, I want to know what’s happening. I demand a ruling,” he said.

Manish Jha, a lawmaker from the National Independent Party (RSP), warned that if the government removed Ghising, many others like him would emerge. “Beware, if you chase away one Kulman, we will bring thousands more,” he said. He accused the government of looking for excuses to remove Ghising.

Jha further stated, “Those like Kulman Ghising, who bring companies to profit, are given a zero in evaluations. Various excuses are being made to sack him because they couldn’t appoint their own party workers, and all sorts of schemes are being concocted.”

Gyanendra Shahi, Chief Whip of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), warned that there would be protests if Kulman Ghising were removed. “We’ve heard that a scheme is being hatched to remove Kulman Ghising, and a decision is being made in the Cabinet. If Kulman Ghising is removed, it will be seen as pushing Nepal back into darkness, and voices will rise from both the streets and the House,” he said.

Shahi recalled that Ghising had turned the NEA into a profitable entity. “In 2072/73 BS (2015/16), the Nepal Electricity Authority was at a loss of 8-9 billion rupees. Now, with six months still remaining in 2081/82 BS (2024/25), the NEA is at a profit of 11.36 billion rupees,” Shahi said.

He emphasized that Ghising played a significant role in ending load-shedding in Nepal. He questioned why such a person was given a zero in his performance evaluation. “Instead of punishing Kulman Ghising, who turned a dark Nepal into a bright Nepal, they gave him a zero score. If it’s up to them (the government), they’d fail those who pass and pass those who fail—what kind of system is this?” Shahi asked.

Another RPP lawmaker, Bina Lama, suggested that the Prime Minister and ministers should evaluate their own performance. “The government, which refuses to review the performance evaluation report submitted by Kulman Ghising within a so-called deadline and instead assigns him a score to make him liable for punishment, has itself earned a disastrous score in its own performance. Should the Prime Minister and ministers resign or not? We want an answer,” she said.

After the opposition parties unanimously raised questions about the score Kulman Ghising received in his performance evaluation, Speaker Ghimire directed the relevant ministry to provide a response.