BY: IHEANACHO COLLINS
THE National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has given the Federal Government 14 days ultimatum to pay over 10,000 workers in the power sector that are yet to be paid their severance entitlement before handing defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to new investors.
The union has also declared that they will have no choice than to shut down the power sector if the over 25,000 workers that have not received their pension components and over 5,000 workers that retired statutorily that have not been paid their gratuity are not settled.
The General Secretary comrade Joe Ajaero, who accused the government of insincerity in the agreement reached with it to settle all labour issues before handing over the defunct PHCN to new investors.
He added “We have no choice than to embark on a mass action if the Federal Government, within the next 14 days, refuses to settle the severance entitlements of over 48,000 workers in the power sector, ranging from pension component, gratuity, retirement, death benefit and other labour issues in the power sector.”
Ajaero said “Funds meant for the payment of staff entitlement, in excess of over N100 billion have developed wings overnight, as the Ministry of Power, and the Accountant General of the Federation are unable to explain the whereabouts of the money.
“We are worried as the 10 per cent equity shareholding for workers, collectively agreed, has been jettisoned, while salaries and wages of employees have been unilaterally reduced, we call on Nigerians to hold the government responsible for any hardship the action of electricity and from the look of things the reform of power sector is meant to inflict pains on workers and also on Nigerians.
