Plans by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the electricity
workers’ retirement benefits may face a setback following the criticisms
from a body, Northern Union (NU), which yesterday described the action
as baseless.
Meanwhile, the controversy trailing the payment of electricity workers’ benefits will today be discussed at a meeting between the electricity unions and the Federal Government.
The meeting is taking place as the seven-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government expires today, amid concerns of possible job losses over the privatisation programme in the power sector.
The union, through its youth wing yesterday in Ilorin said: “Any strike at this moment for selfish interest of personal emolument no matter how genuine it may look like, does not enjoy public support and sympathy as their action is reactionary and belated.”
The group also expressed support for the Federal Government over the deployment of security agents to all major installations and facilities of the PHCN to avert further sabotage and blackmail as witnessed in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
It equally hailed the Federal Government’s resolve to sanitise PHCN, noting, “as in the last one month, the public are increasingly enjoying a more stable power supply.”
The NU, however, urged government to within the context of the law resolve the entitlements of the affected PHCN workers.
The statement signed by the national coordinator and publicity secretary, youth wing of NU, Kolo Jerry and Muhammed Katum respectively, noted that, “it is our unanimous position and resolve that the strike is not welcomed and we very strongly kick against it.”
The electricity workers under the aegis of Senior Staff of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSEAC) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) in collaboration with the NLC had threatened to embark on indefinite strike from today if the Federal Government fails to meet their demands.
The President SSEAC, Mr. Bede Opara, yesterday told The Guardian that the management of PHCN was responsible for the mis-management of the superannuation fund expected to take care of the workers’ pension after retirement, disclosing that the 25 per cent of workers’ superannuation fund was under funded.
The statement reiterated the position of the Government of Osun State, which debunked claims by Oyinlola that the centre does not belong to the state and, therefore, the state cannot alter the composition of the board governing its affairs or even amend the law setting it up.
“Much more ridiculous is the desperate attempts by Oyinlola and his cohorts to hide under the cover of a global organisation with its own integrity to subvert the people’s will. The UNESCO known the world over to be a credible organisation, which follows procedures and can never be associated with the plot by Oyinlola to appropriate a public property as his own.
“If they have failed woefully to deny the fact that Osun’s tax payers’ money was used to procure the artifacts at the centre and the same tax payers’ money was used to build the edifice, which houses the centre, and the law setting the centre up was passed in Osun, on what moral pedestal do Oyinlola and his co-travellers stand to challenge the decision to appropriately reconstitute the board of the Governing Board?” The statement added.
The statement further advised the former governor to toe the path of honour by apologising to the people of the state over his attempt to convert what was glaringly a public property to a private one.
Meanwhile, the controversy trailing the payment of electricity workers’ benefits will today be discussed at a meeting between the electricity unions and the Federal Government.
The meeting is taking place as the seven-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government expires today, amid concerns of possible job losses over the privatisation programme in the power sector.
The union, through its youth wing yesterday in Ilorin said: “Any strike at this moment for selfish interest of personal emolument no matter how genuine it may look like, does not enjoy public support and sympathy as their action is reactionary and belated.”
The group also expressed support for the Federal Government over the deployment of security agents to all major installations and facilities of the PHCN to avert further sabotage and blackmail as witnessed in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
It equally hailed the Federal Government’s resolve to sanitise PHCN, noting, “as in the last one month, the public are increasingly enjoying a more stable power supply.”
The NU, however, urged government to within the context of the law resolve the entitlements of the affected PHCN workers.
The statement signed by the national coordinator and publicity secretary, youth wing of NU, Kolo Jerry and Muhammed Katum respectively, noted that, “it is our unanimous position and resolve that the strike is not welcomed and we very strongly kick against it.”
The electricity workers under the aegis of Senior Staff of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSEAC) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) in collaboration with the NLC had threatened to embark on indefinite strike from today if the Federal Government fails to meet their demands.
The President SSEAC, Mr. Bede Opara, yesterday told The Guardian that the management of PHCN was responsible for the mis-management of the superannuation fund expected to take care of the workers’ pension after retirement, disclosing that the 25 per cent of workers’ superannuation fund was under funded.
The statement reiterated the position of the Government of Osun State, which debunked claims by Oyinlola that the centre does not belong to the state and, therefore, the state cannot alter the composition of the board governing its affairs or even amend the law setting it up.
“Much more ridiculous is the desperate attempts by Oyinlola and his cohorts to hide under the cover of a global organisation with its own integrity to subvert the people’s will. The UNESCO known the world over to be a credible organisation, which follows procedures and can never be associated with the plot by Oyinlola to appropriate a public property as his own.
“If they have failed woefully to deny the fact that Osun’s tax payers’ money was used to procure the artifacts at the centre and the same tax payers’ money was used to build the edifice, which houses the centre, and the law setting the centre up was passed in Osun, on what moral pedestal do Oyinlola and his co-travellers stand to challenge the decision to appropriately reconstitute the board of the Governing Board?” The statement added.
The statement further advised the former governor to toe the path of honour by apologising to the people of the state over his attempt to convert what was glaringly a public property to a private one.
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