[size=14pt]Nationwide black-out continues – PHCN workers[/size]
Headlines Nov 11, 2010 By Victor Ahiuma-Young

Twenty four hours after the three-day warning strike by labour over minimum wage was suspended on the first day of the strike, workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Thursday, alerted that most parts of the country will continue to experience black-out because armed soldiers have continued to occupy the PHCN’s installations and stations.

The workers named the power stations under occupation to include Egbin Power Station, Ikeja West Power Station, Ayede Power Station in Ibadan, Oyo State, Benin Power Station, Kano Zonal Office, Kianji and Jebba Power Stations and Gomo Power Stations in Kwara State.

In a statement in Lagos, the workers said that immediately organised labour called off its warning strike to compel the Federal Government to implement the N18.000 new Minimum Wage on Wednesday, armed military personnel were dispatched to PHCN installations nationwide, allegedly on the orders of the President.

PHCN workers in the statement titled: “ Military men continues to occupy PHCN stations”, said: “It has become expedient to explain to the public why electric power supply has not been fully restored to some parts of the country after the warning strike by NLC has been called off. At the end of the strike action, armed military personnel were dispatched to PHCN installations nationwide, arguably on the orders of the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The armed military men’s continued occupation of PHCN installations and intimidation of PHCN staff even after the supposed three (3) days warning strike by the NLC had been called off is affecting the psyche of the workers and would be counter productive in a normal working environment.”

Besides, the Soldiers are equally indulged in undue harassment and intimidation of the innocent and vulnerable workers who are emotionally traumatized at their presence.”

“It is therefore regrettable to inform the public on the seeming delay in fully restoring electric power supply to some parts of the country. This is actually caused by the presence of these armed Military personnel in those affected areas. We therefore demand and appeal to the relevant authorities to immediately withdraw these Armed Military Personnel to enable the workers return fully to their base and continue their operations without undue intimidation and harassment.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/nationwide-black-out-continues-phcn-workers/

Why noooooooooooooooow??

no wonder there has not been light since.

Some of the PHCN workers dont even know why there's stil blackout.
I was talkin to one of them just ths evening,he explained they were running a maintance at a particular location but that b4 the wkend it'l be restored. Na Wao

What happened to negotiation?
Why does everything have to be done by coersion?

MShittu:

Why noooooooooooooooow??

Why not now? I mean they have all been informed that they will loose their jobs. What do you want them to do? Start working hard for you now? ROFLMAO!

The last of the mafia's and the forces of darkness are surely gonna be defeated. Nigeria must move forward.
Those soldiers bera arrest some of those PHCN nogooders and force them to do their jobs. PHCN is still part of govt.

soldiers held their hands not to work? stupid excuses, you will all loose your jobs, useless no gooders, enemies of progress, your case shall be worse than nitel

No wonder! I bin dey get light 12pm-12am everyday but since dem begin this strike I never see light

Breaking News
Nepa just dey bring light for Warri. First time we dey see govt light since strike start and end.
So the soldiers done go abi? Pikin dey find excuse to siddon house u come go put Ojuju for gate!

SapeleGuy:

What happened to negotiation?
Why does everything have to be done by coersion?

My brother things are changing.With all of these strikes, the Nigerian people are starting to know the true meaning of The People are The Power.

Sincere question; Where the lights constant before?

Ileke-IdI:

Sincere question; Where the lights constant before?

Of course not. but you will definitely get people who will come in to tell you fantastical stories of how supply has been at over 22hours of electricity every day when the whole country still produced below 6000MW back in May. 

Kobojunkie:

Of course not. but you will definitely get people who will come in to tell you fantastical stories of how supply has been at over 22hours of electricity every day when the whole country still produces below 6000MW back in May.

That's why I giggle a little when I hear about these PHCN workers striking. As if ppl on generators and lanterns would mind.

What difference. Make dem just shut-up. Military engineers are to gradually take turn before the final take-over by private hands,so phcn workers won't blackmail the govt by delibrate moves to fruastrate services. They should send them packing already!

@wesley80, abeg no kill person with laughter. True true pikin don get excuse.

We are still in darkness.

and as usual people continue to spread falsehood about the power sector and nigerians believe it hook, line and sinker.

first things first. . .all the stations mentioned up there are substations not power stations

secondly, the power system is a balancing act, since electricity supply(load) to nigeria was cut off during the strike, it will take a couple of days for the system to stabilize that's why power supply is more erratic than usual.

@odunnu
it was probably a distribution man you were talking to, a very large proportion of them are illiterates. The fact that he 'tampers' with poles and stuff doesn't automatically confer him with the necessary knowledge.

@ileke-idi
*sighs* dont fall for the stereotypes. . .yes the power sector in nigeria is crap, i dont think anyone denies it, but when y'all do the whole 'who will miss them' thingy, it just serves to betray how little y'all know about naija. When PHCN goes on strike, the whole nation suffers. . . do you have any idea how much fuel or diesel costs per litre? do you have relatives in naija why dont you ask them? can you imagine how PHCN going on strike would affect the supply of petroleum products?

I know you've probably heard a lot about how people/companies 'run generators for 24 hours' but that's an exaggeration,

Ileke-IdI:

That's why I giggle a little when I hear about these PHCN workers striking. As if ppl on generators and lanterns would mind.

Try and be more informed about what happens in Nigeria instead of making these snarky comments, k?
There are many areas in darkness. But there are also many areas that get at least 20 hrs of power daily.

chyz1:

My brother things are changing.With all of these strikes, the Nigerian people are starting to know the true meaning of The People are The Power.

That does not apply to PHCN. Their own case is more like, "we are the mafia, and we want to screw you! Fck everybody!"

texazzpete:

Try and be more informed about what happens in Nigeria instead of making these snarky comments, k?
There are many areas in darkness. But there are also many areas that get at least 20 hrs of power daily.

REALLY? Beyond the boundaries of that entity called Nigeria, of course there is! DUH!

But there are also many areas that get at least 20 hrs of power daily

This is true.

[size=8pt][size=8pt][size=8pt]sack all phcn staff now[/size][/size][/size].

texazzpete:

Try and be more informed about what happens in Nigeria instead of making these snarky comments, k?
There are many areas in darkness. But there are also many areas that get at least 20 hrs of power daily.

Sure, but in the same the vast majority still live majorly in darkness. Unless you are going to tell us that Juju is being employed successfully somewhere to turn that 6000MW into maybe 60000MW, I am not sure what you expect us to go away with here. ROFLMAO!!

It is easy for Nigerians living abroad to conclude that all of Nigeria is in darkness.

We want our 20 hours of electricity back.

Bawss1:

It is easy for Nigerians living abroad to conclude that all of Nigeria is in darkness.

We want our 20 hours of electricity back.

Oh get a brain already! And you think because people live abroad, they do not somehow maintain a residence, which also needs to be lit up, in the same Nigeria? 

Please do not derail the thread.

Kobojunkie:

Oh get a brain already! And you think because people live abroad, they do not somehow maintain a residence, which also needs to be lit up, in the same Nigeria? 

Please do not derail the thread.

Madam those living abroad would have noticed upon closer inquiry that power supply had increased considerably this year.

Kobojunkie:


Sure, but in the same the vast majority still live majorly in darkness. Unless you are going to tell us that Juju is being employed successfully somewhere to turn that 6000MW into maybe 60000MW, I am not sure what you expect us to go away with here. ROFLMAO!!

@kobo
in the very bad areas, the worst that'll happen is that they see two days on two days off, been there done that, short of an operational challenge such as a faulty transformer or something PHCN wont deprive people of light. . .

it's when people go making those nobody'll miss PHCN statements that they betray their lack of knowledge.

Bawss1:

Madam those living abroad would have noticed upon closer inquiry that power supply had increased considerably this year.

You peaked my interest there. How much has it increased since last year? I would like to know what you know and how you measure this increase. I ask because I just feel to explore the mind of one who continues to assume this somehow has to do with place of full time residence when many of those who do not live in Nigeria 100% of the time happen to be more informed of goings on in Nigeria than many of those who actually live there. Matter of fact, many of those who live abroad pay the electricity/generator/rent for family still back in Nigeria on a regular basis.

So, what of my home in my LGA which still rarely gets 20 hours a month of electricity? Would you also create an issue for those who live in small towns and live this existence still?

I speak with my mum everyday and she says electricity was non existent before the strike and she is not aware of any strike - because it makes no difference to her  - I have just sent money for the third generator in under 2 years ( ol boy i dey feel the pinch na me wan build powerstation for nja) - I dont know what crap many here are talking about.  20 hours electricity my foot - stop deceiving yourselves

@blacksta
what state does she live in naija wise? if you feel comfy with it, give me the local govt area and i'll find out why you dont have electricity.

@kobo
tell me your LGA too, lemme see what your load allocation is. . .you do realise that 20 hours a month is less than an hour a day?. . .just saying.


there's really no way to measure whether distribution of electricity is improving in naija simply because they keep very bad information at the distribution level(yep they're the cause of a lot of the problems in the power grid)