The military personnel on Friday took over the Egbin Power Station and Eko Electricity Distribution Company due to the ongoing workers’ strike.
Mr Etukubes Mbang, the Vice-Chairman, Lagos/Ogun Chapter of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
NAN reports that the workers on Friday embarked on strike to press for the payment of their benefits.
“Military personnel have taken over our premises in Lagos and Abuja, and we have asked our workers to vacate the premises for them until government moves them out of our premises.
“Presently, there are military personnel at both the Egbin Power Station and Eko Electricity Distribution Company,’’ the union leader said.
A senior official at Egbin Power Station confirmed that the workers, who had earlier staged a protest, vacated the premises immediately the military personnel arrived.
The official said: “we decided to vacate the premises when the military men came and take over the place, but some of our operators are still in the office. ”
Another source at Eko Company said: “ our stations are surrounded by military personnel, but they are not harassing the workers.
“Customers can no longer transact business or pay their bills due to the closure of our premises. ’’
Mr Mike Uzoigwe, the Chief Executive Officer of Egbin Power Station, said: “ I am not in town to confirm the situation.
“I was equally told that there are military personnel at the place just as you are telling. I will get back to you tomorrow.
Mr Cdon Adinuba, the Special Adviser on Media to Mr Barth Nnaji, Minister of Power, decried the ongoing strike embarked upon by the electricity workers.
He said that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has not been privatised.
“TCN is not privatised; we have only got a management contract that will resume on Monday.
“We have said severally that TCN would still remain government-owned company, but manage by private sector.”
Adinuba said that the union leaders were just being “mischievous’’, adding that TCN would be managed by a Canadian Company, Manitoba Hydro International.
He said that government would only privatise the distribution and the generation companies of PHCN.
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