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Sacked Electricity Workers To Sue FG

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11 years ago

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Overloaded truck on Oyo-Ibadan Express Way last Wednesday.

Overloaded truck on Oyo-Ibadan Express Way last Wednesday.

The crisis rocking the privatisation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) appears not to be over yet as the recently laid-off members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) are threatening legal action against the Federal Government and the new power investors.
A national officer of the disbanded union who disclosed this to The Tide in an interview in Port Harcourt accused the investors of violating the 15-point agreement reached between the government, the investors and NUEE, including the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies in Abuja on 13th January 2014.
According to the top officer who pleaded anonymity, many workers have been laid off without severance packages and there have been victimisation of NUEE officers who championed the workers’ welfare.
The officer said it was agreed that the records of service of staff should be crucial in the lay-off plan but that majority of the hardworking staff with enviable records were targeted and sacked because of the workers’ struggle they championed.
“They are anti-unionsim, witch-hunting us in addition to several other points which they deliberately contravened.
We are set to drag them to the arbitration court for justice. So, the struggle has not ended yet”, the officer stated.
“In Enugu, investors deducted N50,000 from each worker’s pay without any explanation and in Port Harcourt zone our investigation has also shown that those disengaged are the best hands with good records of service. They should explain to us the modality adopted”, the officer maintained.
The officer further attributed the poor power supply currently being witnessed to the fact that good hands were removed.
“Before now, the supply was dangling between 3,500 MW to 4,000 MW, but today it is far below the least sustained before. Shiroro Dam is not working because they have removed the hands that were doing the magic”, the officer said, expressing fear that the nation’s power supply would continue to drop systematically.
“We intend to reach out to human rights and industrial court to look into our case”.
It could be recalled that the union suspended its 14-Day ultimatum based on resolutions reached at the reconciliatory meeting held in the office of the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, between the Federal Ministry of Power, Bureau of Public Enterprises, the National Union of Electricity Employees and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies on 13th January 2014.

 

Chris Oluoh

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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7 days ago

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June 27, 2025

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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7 days ago

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June 27, 2025

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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7 days ago

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June 27, 2025

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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