Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has asked his erstwhile trade union colleagues to have a rethink of their current opposition to the power sector reform and adopt a strategy that will benefit workers of PHCN and the nation at large.
The governor, yesterday in Benin at the 9th Delegates Conference of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), urged the union to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s reform programme for Nigeria’s power sector.
Oshiomhole who declared his support for the sector’s privatisation before the stunned union officials, said: “It is high time union leader’s eschewed selfish interest and embrace public interest for public welfare. This convention must therefore show the true character of the union’s ideal, which among other things improves the quality of lives of its members and the general citizenry.”
A statement by the Special Assistant, Media to the Minister of Power, Ogbuagu Anikwe, implored the Secretary General of NUEE, Mr. Joe Ajaero, to think first of the welfare of the workers he is leading and the interest of the Nigerian people as a whole.
“Ajaero, you must help Nigerians to return to a productive country. You should not look for the quick fixes, but must look at the short, medium and long term. The challenge of modern times is that union leaders must now think more dynamically,” he said.
Earlier, Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji had observed the need for both? management and staff of each successor company, as well as those of the PHCN corporate headquarters to work harder in order to sustain the increased salary bill occasioned by the 50 per cent salary increment.