BARELY 24 hours after the Federal Government said it had approved N384 billion for the payment of entitlements of workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Organised Labour has rejected government’s position, threatening to shut down the sector next week should government fail to reverse its position.

Under the umbrella of National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, labour wondered how the government arrived at N384 billion when the technical committee comprising government appointed actuarist – Alexander Forbes, Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, PHCN, and the unions charged with the responsibility of computing the exit package of PHCN staff was yet to conclude its assignment.

Reacting to government announcement through its General Secretary, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the workers argued that Alexander Forbes and BPE officials discovered and accepted fundamental errors in the data used for their computation in the course of the committee’s discussion and thus agreed to reconvene on a later date towards addressing the fundamental errors.

According to the statement “It is therefore amazing that figures can be conjured to calculate the exit benefits without reference to the technical committee. The announcement is highly provocative.

“The figure (N384billion) is laughable because government is also aware that one third of the staff population were excluded and majority of those captured had their entitlement calculated based on two grades lower than their actual grades”.

“Besides, regularization of casuals who have been in the industry for a long period is yet to be concluded and the value of their exit benefits should form an integral part of the total package.

“If the money (N384 billion) to be paid to the staff is to appreciate them for their concerted efforts towards the noticeable power improvement in the country, we shall gladly accept it and commend government for the largesse.

“But if it is for our exit packages, then government should do the right thing. It is imperative to remind government that time without number it has made pronouncement to its commitment to the rule of law which unfortunately has not been demonstrated in this case. This can only be regarded as an act of impunity, since this figure was not a product of consensus by the parties involved in this matter.”

It added that. “Calculation of exit package not done on the basis of accurate data is totally unacceptable to us and shall be resisted through all legal means. The Technical and Implementation Committees should therefore be allowed to conclude their assignments without hindrance and resort to the use of armed forces to short change workers in the Sector. Besides, the use of Sacked workers the drivers of this process as lacking in the knowledge of Personnel and Industrial Relations. If it is not reversed, we would behave like Sacked workers effective next week. Power of impunity will definitely not work towards addressing these issues.”
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/labour-rejects-n384bn-settlement-threatens-to-shut-power-sector/

Didn't I say it on the other thread? Most of that money is going to GEJ&cohorts pockets.

koruji: Didn't I say it on the other thread? Most of that money is going to GEJ&cohorts pockets.

God punish you for this rubbish comment. If u have nothing sensible to say, just keep silent

Good for me, whatever u think God knows who to punish for using fuzzy math on Naija funds. This is exactly what OBJ did with his programs - throw money at the problem. I guess poverty is gone in Nigeria. Don't worry your electricity will soon be on 48 hrs a day too. The people he claimed to be paying say negotiations haven't been concluded. So what gives ?

bestman09: God punish you for this rubbish comment. If u have nothing sensible to say, just keep silent

bestman09: God punish you for this rubbish comment. If u have nothing sensible to say, just keep silent

Ediot.

bestman09: God punish you for this rubbish comment. If u have nothing sensible to say, just keep silent

is this sensible enough as a comment?

koruji: Didn't I say it on the other thread? Most of that money is going to GEJ&cohorts pockets.

In one stead you said paying them wasn't necessary since these same people will be back on the job with the new PHCN after they collect whatever gets to them from these funds.

On this thread, the Union are saying the 384 billion you frowned upon isn't even enough which should further irritate you,but what did you do ? engage in more needless post

It's not by force to air irrelevant and inconsistent views . . .

koruji: This is why paying them off is a waste of money, and actually much of this N384 billion will end up in the pockets of GEJ & his people.
These same people will be back on the job with the new PHCN after they collect whatever gets to them from these funds.
It is a simple as that - they are going nowhere.

How does the union demand for more billions equate to an avenue for embezzling of funds when there wasn't any accusation of ghost and fake beneficiaries . . .

This guys are ungrateful, PHCN is one of the most backward agency and the government is magnanimous to have given them that, if I were government is either you take it or leave it

As annoying and irritating I sometimes find these labour unions, they appear to have reasonable grounds for complaint. I mean, how can an employee be paid severance benefits based on a lower grade level?

It's imperative that the government settle this issue once and for all so that the power sector reform can be brought to a logical conclusion. We're not gonna listen to any stories if we don't begin to see tangible results by 2015.

These PHCN workers union should not make me angry to the extent of cursing them.

If they continue to make impossible demands, the govt should use Fashola style to deal with them- sack all the 50,000 PHCN workers with immediate effect so that when negotiations begin again, the labour unions will be on the defensive.

THEY ARE LOOKING FOR MONEY FOR 2015 ELECTION,SO IN ALL WAY THEY NEED THE MONEY

IS A MATTER OF DO OR DIE THING OH

watin i know be say make light jst dey, all dis one wey dem dey talk nah story......

Pls who can help me with 2000naira in ma Bank Account
in xchange of prayers and nd blessings from God.....

If interested u can add me on facebook....www.facebook.com/omokogi

So this labour union members want us to continue to stay in darkness while they carry out that their merry-go-round kinda data capturing, and why haven't they concluded the report long time ago? they should accept whatever is been given to them and then put forward whatever the balance is whenever they are done with their calculation.

NIGERIA..
BAD NEWS..97/PERCENT
GOOD NEWS...3/PERCENT

Labour again what will be the score card for this....

Thats close to 10% of Nigeria's budget, what else do they want? Do they want to use the entire budget to pay them off for the disservice they did to Nigeria

really take it or leave it military style

Igwe.:
So this labour union members want us to continue to stay in darkness while they carry out that their merry-go-round kinda data capturing, and why haven't they concluded the report long time ago? they should accept whatever is been given to them and then put forward whatever the balance is whenever they are done with their calculation.

NEPA/PHCN or whatsoever, are they telling us that they don't have all their database, this country is nothing but full of corruption....

so these labour workers want us to remain in darkness after all they did to us they are expecting more pay.

Labour again what will be the score card for this....

HAH: This guys are ungrateful, PHCN is one of the most backward agency and the government is magnanimous to have given them that, if I were government is either you take it or leave it

Labour again what will be the score card for this....


This NEPA people are ungrateful with are the money some of then stole during OBJ's tenure. If am the President I won't have given then anything .....why will they shut down the country?

Phcn workers should take the money and leave joor,atleast all the bribes they've been collecting will make up the rest!
All we need is 24hrs power supply

bestman09: God punish you for this rubbish comment. If u have nothing sensible to say, just keep silent

Must you abuse him to make a point? I guess you lack manners and naturally abusive. Please grow up

PLS GEJ ABEG MAKE UNA PAY THEM D AGREED SUM O. MY SISTER DON PROMISE ME MONEY AND SHE DE WAIT 4 THE MONEY. EVEN IF WE NO GET LIGHT NO PROBLEM

They are expecting severance pay for hardly ever providing service. Ingrates. None of them should get a kobo. I use generators for a minimum of 23 hours a day. Fire the incompetent bunch!

Sincere 9gerian: These PHCN workers union should not make me angry to the extent of cursing them.

If they continue to make impossible demands, the govt should use Fashola style to deal with them- sack all the 50,000 PHCN workers with immediate effect so that when negotiations begin again, the labour unions will be on the defensive.

My friend abeg wake up from ur sleep. The PHCN workers are fighting for there right. FG have the money, so let dem pay the workers and the fire is over. You don't expect the workers to labour in vain.

Though there demands may be bitter but its there right

I like wat d labour are doing,hw wld u feel if as a worker in PHCN and ur name was omitted frm the list,hw wl u feel?
Let the Govt settle them and move on to the nxt level bcus it wl all be in our own interest after all said and done.
Pls GEJ pay this people their money so that ur plans for power wl be solved.

MEILYN: watin i know be say make light jst dey, all dis one wey dem dey talk nah story......

Pls who can help me with 2000naira in ma Bank Account
in xchange of prayers and nd blessings from God.....

If interested u can add me on facebook....www.facebook.com/omokogi

werey! Kukuma go start ur own church na if you wan beg for money beg for money, no dey come form pastor/prophet for here.

@topic. All we are saaaying is, give us light Ooo

Nigeria is a developing country where 70% of the populace is poor yet the government dishes out billions regularly.

I taut dey already privatize NEPA were dat moni dey now, or GEJ men neva pay up, dey can use dat moni 2 setle dis union so make lite day naw haba

chidyke77: I like wat d labour are doing,hw wld u feel if as a worker in PHCN and ur name was omitted frm the list,hw wl u feel?
Let the Govt settle them and move on to the nxt level bcus it wl all be in our own interest after all said and done.
Pls GEJ pay this people their money so that ur plans for power wl be solved.

It is obvious that half of the people posting on NL are Yahoo boys and fooolish students! Just imagine what you and some others have typed. That government should pay them more money? And you want Nigeria to have 24 hours power? I think most of you dont know what you really want. You are obviously confused. Instead of you to vehemently attack the PHCN workers to get lost so we can move on, you are actually supporting them for all the years they have put you under darkness. You have a serious dysfunction. You are adverse to progress