The alleged unwillingness of the government to resolve issues of unpaid entitlements to former workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) may plunge the nation into darkness again, two weeks after a similar incident.
Recall that the issue of unpaid benefits was one of the reasons that led to the industrial action by the workers in the industry, under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEC, two weeks ago.
Sources told the Vanguard that the issue of unpaid benefits to some of the ex-PHCN workers had become a stumbling block to resolving the issues.
According to the sources, government agencies including the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), which supervises the Federal Government’s privatisation programme are shying away from the payment of the benefits, among other pending entitlements.
It was gathered that though other issues are progressing well, the issue of unpaid benefits might spoil the works of the committee at its last meeting expected to hold today.
A source said: “The government agencies including the BPE are shying away from taking the responsibility for the payment of the entitlements. They are passing bucks and this is a major hindrance to resolving the issues.
Meanwhile, electricity workers in Lagos and Ogun zonal council, yesterday said they were ready for the resumption of the suspended strike once the union gave a directive.
At a briefing in Lagos, leaders of the zone, warned that “any threat on the leadership of the union is a threat to workers in the sector and Nigerian workers in general. We are on standby.”
