Electricity Workers May Down Tools, Monday

Unless the Federal Government makes meaningful progress in the ongoing negotiation with the two industrial unions within the power sector, the workers may embark on strike Monday.

The industrial unions leaders alleged that there were deliberate attempts by the Federal Ministry of Power officials to breach the content of an agreement earlier reached with them thereby shortchanging members of the two unions.

According to the secretaries of the two unions, Comrade Joe Ajaero of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Comrade Abiodun Ogunsegha of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), the grievances of the unions include unpaid 50 percent salary increase, regularisation of casual staff, biometric verification exercise, winding down of corporate headquarters of power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) and the recent sack of the top executive officers of the distribution companies of the PHCN.

The unions are also calling on the federal government to reverse its decision on the sacked staff of PHCN to avert the looming nationwide total blackout to be occasioned by the planned strike.

NUEE and SSAEAC further noted with dismay what they described as the obstinate posture of the senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Power in handling the challenges and labour related issues in the power sector.

But the Special Adviser to the Minister of Power, Mr. Don Adinuba had dismissed the unions’ accusations and stated that the presidency actually directed the Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji to sack the four chief executive officers of the distribution companies.

He stated that apart from the fact that the affected officers failed the performance assessments, some of the chief executive officers were opposed to the 2005 Electric Power Reform Act of the federal government.

Meanwhile, in a bid to avert the planned strike the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu has summon emergency stakeholders meeting with the unions’ officials today, Friday, in Abuja.

Also, all efforts to speak with the state chairman of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Comrade Temple Banigo proved abortive.