NANS Decries Minister, NUEE’s Face-Off

The coordinator of National Association of Nigeria students
(NANS), zone B , Comrade Chinonso Obasi, has described as shameful the current
face-off and counter-accusations between the Minister of Power, Prof. Bart
Nnaji and the General Secretary of National Union of Electricity Employees,
(NUEE), reasoning that the development was overshadowing the power sector
reforms.

Making his feelings known in a statement issued and made
available to journalists in Enugu, Obasi declared that the zone B of the
association, comprising tertiary institutions in the South East and South-South
geopolitical zones had waded into the matter with a view to finding out the
basic issues in dispute so as to be better placed to either settle the
imbroglio amicably or inform Nigerian students on the details of the conflict
in the power sector.

The student leader expressed regrets that the combatants in
the ongoing power sector squabble are from his zone, stressing that given the
possibility that various interests and considerations must be propping up the
misunderstanding between the players for some narrow motives, there is need for
the students’ body to intervene to arrest the ugly situation.

“The present struggle involves a comrade and a highly placed
official of the federal government; if for nothing else, NANS Zone ‘B’ has a
role to play because we are involved. This matter about power sector has much
to do with the future of Nigerian youths. We, therefore, have a duty to know
the details of this wrangling because we cannot dabble into it without a proper
grasp of the underlying issues,” the statement declared.

Obasi, an electrical and under-water welding under graduate
at the Petroleum Training Institute, Warri, noted with dismay that the tension
generated by the Power minister’s directive on the staff of Power Holding
Company of Nigeria, (PHCN) to demand details of the staff pension fund from
their union leaders, clearly suggests that there might be more to the
misunderstanding adding that after meeting with the NUEE, NANS Zone ‘B’ would
meet with the minister before taking a position on the face-off.

While commending the NUEE General-Secretary, Joe Ajaero, for
his candor, courage and patriotism, the NANS Zone ‘B’ coordinator also expressed
the belief that dialogue and sincerity of purpose would usher in an amicable
settlement of the impasse even as he condemned the attempt to blow up the NUEE
secretariat in Lagos.

Part of the statement read: “NANS Zone ‘B’ leadership has
met with the NUEE leaders as the first leg of the attempt to unravel the
underlying issues in the current hot exchange of words between the Minister of
Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji and the NUEE General Secretary, Comrade Joe Ajaero. We
intend to meet with the minister to hear his side of the story. Our interest is
for sanity to prevail and that the major players who happen to come from zone
‘B’ axis toe the line of decency and patriotism”, he  pleaded.