Electricity Workers Prepare To Resume Strike 

Workers’ representatives and the federal government are meeting today to discuss the problems.

By Omotayo Olutekunbi

Since electricity workers are planning a statewide strike to urge their demands on the Federal Government, Nigerians are likely to experience total darkness in the nation.

Just three weeks prior, the senior staff association of electricity and allied companies, SSAEC, and the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, respectively, terminated the statewide strike of electricity employees.

Vanguard reports that there are signs that the workers may restart the strike that was put on hold because they believe the government is refusing to address the matter of unpaid benefits to former employees of the now-defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, or PHCN.

The Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) is reportedly holding off on paying benefits and other unpaid entitlements, despite the fact that the Federal Government is meeting with employees’ representatives to discuss the concerns today.

According to a person who talked with the publication, “The government agencies including the BPE are shying away from taking the responsibility for the payment of the entitlements. They are passing bucks and this is a major hindrance to resolving the issues.⁣
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‘’Though other issues are progressing well, the issue of payment will stall the resolution of the issues. The workers are already very restive because the two weeks given to resolve the matter ends tomorrow (today).⁣
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‘’There is tension in the sector because the workers are aware of the development and are pushing for a resumption of the suspended strike. So, tomorrow’s meeting is very crucial to either the resolution of the matter or, there will be fresh industrial unrest.”⁣