Soldiers Vacate PHCN Headquarters

Soldiers have vacated the headquarters of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria(PHCN) in Abuja following the intervention of the House of Representatives Committee on Power.

The National Woman leader of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Comrade Doris Nnaji confirmed this yesterday in a telephone interview with The Tide.

The military occupation of PHCN headquarters Thursday after marathon meeting of the two in- house unions-National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory and Allied Companies over Federal Government’s approach to power reforms as it affects members of the two unions.

Following presence of the military at the PHCN headquarters, the unions closed down all operations and offices of PHCN across the country in protest.

The Tide reports that, the Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, worried by the development, directed the two unions through his special Assistant, Nick Agbo to use security provided by the Federal Government to ensure that all PHCN offices and business units were opened for business without any interruption.

Meanwhile, the electricity workers have been directed to stay action pending the outcome of another meeting scheduled to hold today.

Comrade Nnaji who frowned at the idea of drafting soldiers to PHCN offices said it was a strategy to intimidate workers and deny them their rights.

In a press release made available to The Tide, the unions requested the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency pay all gratuities owed the workers as end of service benefits in line with the stipulated conditions of service of PHCN.

In release signed by NUEE President, Comrade Mansur Musa, Comrade Bede Opara President of SSAEAC and their secretaries, the unions also demanded for the payment  of appreciable severance package as it is the practice all over the world, pensions in accordance with the 25 percent set aside from the salaries of PHCN staff as well as stop the attempts to force their members to open Retirees Savings Account (RSA) when the payment of benefits is yet to be finalised.

Chris Oluoh