The Director General of the Bureau of Public
Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Dikki, has
assured stakeholders that payment of
outstanding payment of labour liabilities to
Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)
workers is to be concluded next week.
Dikki reaffirmed that the Federal Government
is committed to concluding the payment of all
verified entitlements of the staff of PHCN
successor companies before the end of second
week of October and immediately, commence
the process of physical handover of the assets
to the new owners.
The BPE boss stated this in Abeokuta, Ogun
State, on the sidelines of the burial ceremony
in honour of the mother of the Chairman,
Senate Committee on Privatisation and
Commercialisation, Senator Olugbenga
Obadara.
He disclosed that the funds required for the
exercise have been remitted to the Office of
the Accountant General of the Federation
(OAGF) who has transferred same to
commercial banks for onward payment to the
workers.
The director general recalled that the Federal
Government had earmarked the entire $2.6
billion proceeds expected from the sale of
PHCN successor companies for the settlement
of the benefits of the staff.
He, however, regretted that the delay in
concluding payments to some staff was as a
result of differences in names, multiple
Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) and wrong
account numbers submitted by some staff.
He promised that as auditors verify and
reconcile the differences, payments would be
concluded as expeditiously as possible.
The National Union of Electricity Employees
(NUEE) had in a recent statement protested
the planned handover, saying several labour
issues had not been settled. It, therefore, said
if the government continued with its action,
the PHCN workers would not be able to
guarantee electricity supply after Wednesday,
October 2, 2013.
The union, in a statement by its General
Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero, said: “Because of
the Independence Day ceremonies, we will be
patient to allow for full celebrations. However,
we hereby urge Nigerians to bear with us if
after October 2, 2013 the government goes
ahead with her illicit handover to the investors
in a forceful takeover. The implication will be
that the workers would have technically been
asked to withdraw their services and we may
not be able to guarantee smooth operations.
Consequently, if after October 2, 2013, the
office of the vice president fails to correct this
misleading information, we shall not
guarantee supply of electricity in the country.
This is not a threat as our earlier ultimatum
has expired.”
The union listed issues that were not resolved
to include the non-conclusion of payment of
terminal benefits to the workers; non-payment
of retirement savings to the workers’ Pension
Fund Administrators (PFAs) and non-
remittance of two per cent of the union
deductions as agreed.

FG will pay next week?

Yeah right, just like boko haram will end in june last year!

We hope d govt meet their promises and i belive she will.The staffs deserves it.

Hahaha slide, abi you no trust your government again