It is only a matter of days before the entire country is thrown into total darkness, following a strike embarked upon by workers in the nation’s power sector.
Already, most states of the federation have been thrown into darkness just as access to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)? services such as purchase of meter units across the county is presently impossible, following the protest.
The workers, under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), had called the bluff of the management of the PCHN which had issued a threat to sack any worker who failed to report to work.
A notice issued by the PHCN management in Abuja yesterday reads in part: “It has come to the notice of Management that some staff of PHCN refused to come to work since Tuesday, 15 November 2011, in protest against the deployment of military personnel to secure federal government’s assets and facilities across the nation, including PHCN installations.
“In furtherance of the foregoing, please be informed that any strike or threat of strike at this time violates Section 47 of the Trade Dispute Act and Section 9(1) of The Trade Dispute (Essential Services) Act Cap.T9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
But speaking with LEADERSHIP yesterday at the PHCN headquarters, Abuja, national secretary, NUEE, Joe Ajaero, said the memo by the management of PHCN was baseless and would be disregarded.
Similarly, a statement issued by the Ministry of Power noted that “the effort of one or two trade unionists to sabotage the ongoing electric power sector reform will not work.? The nation cannot be held hostage any more by people working in cahoots with the electricity cabal which does not want improved power supply.