PHCN Accuses Power Ministry Of Hiding Report

Employees of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), have accused the Ministry of Power deliberately hiding the report of the negotiations between the Federal Government and the union in the sector from the presidency.

The workers alleged that both the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo who is the Chairman of the National Council of Privatisation and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim are yet to see the report one month after its submission by the Chief Negotiator /Councillator, Hassan Sunmonu.

Speaking under the umbrella of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), they maintained that some powerful persons in the ministry are blocking the chances of peaceful resolution of labour issues in the sector even when President Goodluck Jonathan is desirous of settling the workers’ liabilities.

President of the union, Mr. Bede Opara, who made the allegations at an interactive session in Lagos, wondered why the ministry was preventing the presidency from seeing the report given the fact that it was the federal government it self that set up the committee in the first place.

According to him, the presidency should be more inclined to the implementation of the recommendations of Sunmonu since it is committed to put the interest of the sector above any personal interest.

The attempt to shield the report from the Presidency, he pointed out may not be unconnected with the Sunmonu’s recommendation that gratuity should be paid in accordance with the extent PHCN conditions of service. The report, he explained is contrary to the views of government, which upheld that workers are entitled to pension and gratuity up to June 30, 2004 but thereafter, the provisions of Pensions Reform Act 2004 would apply.

He warned that the ongoing privatisation by the government would be inconclusive should government fail to implement the recommendations of the report.

“Government set up a negotiation team led by the Chief Negotiator in the person of Hassan Sunmonu who was acclaimed a renowned labour leader in order to have credibility in the resolution of the industrial dispute in the power sector. The negotiation lasted for 14 months and the Chief Negotiator recommended that gratuity be paid according to the condition of service which is not against the Pension Reform Act 2004. Why is it that the secretary to the government of the federation and the president  are blocked from seeing the report submitted by Sunmonu.

“We have  information that the presidency is not aware of the recommendations. The report was supposed to be presented to the Vice-President, but it was stopped at the ministry level. If Sambo was aware of the report then we will not be where we are today. We want to State categorically that as long as labour issues are not resolved, let nobody think of success of the ongoing privatisation,” Opara said.

Speaking further, he explained that the unions were no longer against the privatisation of PHCN, but rather interested in making sure that the global best practices are strictly adhered to given the role that the sector will play in the development of the country.

He advised President Jonathan to put the national interest and the interest of the sector above every other interest if the ongoing reform programme must succeed. He added that labour was concerned with the way and manner in which the biding processes were handled by the Buraeu of Public Enterprises (BPE) noting that the process was flawed.