PHCN WORKERS CALL OFF  STRIKE

A report by Leadershipnigeria.com says the PHCN workers' union has called  off its  strike---Details expected

HOW PHCN WORKERS' STRIKE PARALYZES ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

 FROM SEFIU AYANBIMPE, OSOGBO              Newsdiaryonline     Wed Aug 25,2010

The indefinite strike action embarked upon by the staff of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) today over monetization under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity (SSAE) paralyzed economic activities across the country.In Lagos today it is generators to the rescue as homes , factories and offices had to cope with the lack of electricity  which was worsened by the strike action.

Here is story of how the  towns  and communities in Osun state were affected today.

The investigation conducted by Newsdiaryonline correspondent revealed that most of the people in the places visited thought that it was usual occurrence and manner in which the PHCN used to take electricity, until noon when the news of the strike filtered to various communities.

Most of the business centers which  could not operate  without electricity were forced to fuel their  generating plants but those who could not boast of alternative source of power closed  their various offices. 

Electricity workers   have thrown the country into darkness after years of threats, cajoling and appeals.

The industrial action was in compliance with a circular from the national secretariat of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) dated 23 August 2010 and signed by its national secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero.

The circular had directed the workers to embark on indefinite strike if monetization arrears were not paid to them by Wednesday 25 August 2010.

The circular stated that the federal government and the authorities of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) have refused to implement the agreement entered into with the workers.

At exactly 6.30a.m, workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) at Osogbo National Distribution Centre switched off the main distribution point at the centre in protest of their unpaid arrears of monetization allowance, casualization of labour and poor salary.

Our correspondent learnt that the aggrieved workers stormed the Power line area of Osogbo and shut down the power distribution system this morning.

But efforts of our correspondent to get executives of the two unions to speak on the fresh face off with the federal government were rebuffed as the protesting workers directed all enquiries to the national secretariat of the unions.

A national officer of NUEE, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also directed Newsdiaryonline to the circular already issued by the national secretariat of the union.

Also, few of the workers that spoke with News diary at Oshogbo NCC headquarter alleged that the money in questioned have been paid but few top management of PHCN have siphoned the monetization arrears because their collogues in Portharcourt and Lagos region have collected their own.

They even said that they were worried for the non payment of staff at the headquarter in Osogbo and other region because the monetization issue had been on ground since 2003 when former President Olusegun Obasajo was in office.