NOV 1 HANDING OVER DATE: FG, ELECTRICITY UNION SET FOR SHOWDOWN

THERE are strong indications that the Federal Government and the labour unions, under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), may be set for a showdown, following plans by the Federal Government to continue with the planned physical handing over of privatised successor companies of defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

The Federal Government, through the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), in a statement, had said about 84 per cent of the workers had been paid off, while others would be paid between Wednesday and Thursday.
However, workers said banks had refused to honour the government’s directive to pay them. 

They said if their entitlements were not paid by the end of October, the entire workforce of PHCN in all the 36 states would embark on indefinite strike.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday, the general secretary, Joe Ajaero, said no physical handing over could take place until all outstanding severance packages had been settled.

“How do we explain when new owners take over the assets while we are still under the Federal Government payroll. Let them pay the workers and the new owners can retain whoever they wish to employ,” he said.

Moreover, industry analysts opined that the transition process would be completed by February 2014, when the Transitional Electricity Market (TEM) is expected to take effect.
Source: Tribune