PHCN privatisation: FG, Labour to resume negotiations in May
Negotiations between the Federal Government and electricity workers’ unions over the planned privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria and its successor companies will resume next month.The negotiation, which had earlier been scheduled to hold on April 16, was put on hold till May following a temporary truce reached by the parties.Our correspondent gathered that the decision to suspend further negotiations was reached at an impromptu meeting between the Ministry of Labour and representatives of the National Union of Electricity Employees and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies on Friday.Prior to the meeting, the unions had threatened to embark on an industrial action if the Federal Government failed to implement an earlier agreement reached with them.The unions also demanded the reinstatement of the three top officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria and PHCN sacked recently by the Federal Government.The General Secretary, SSAEAC, Mr. Abiodun Ogunsegha, told our correspondent that the strike was shelved following the resolutions reached at the impromptu meeting.“The Minister of Labour called for a meeting and the issues we raised in our letter to him were resolved, and because of that, we now agreed that there will be no need for a strike action again,” he said.On the resolutions, he said the unions had earlier written to the minister to intimate him of their demands.Ogunsegha said, “The letter was specifically on the non-implementation of the previous agreement, which was one of the reasons we threatened the strike action.“But during the meeting, we were assured that those issues we listed would be implemented. Also, the issue of casual workers was raised and an amicable solution was reached.”Asked who gave the assurance on behalf of the government, Ogunsegha said, “It was the Minister of Labour, Mr. Emeka Wogu, and we also received a letter from the Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, assuring us of the payment of our salaries as agreed beginning from April.“So, there were some assurances from the labour and power ministers that those agreements would be implemented. And this time, we are holding them by their words.”Last week, THE PUNCH exclusively reported that the Federal Government had commenced moves to meet with officials of the major unions in the power sector in a bid to avert the planned nationwide strike by the workers of PHCN.On the earlier scheduled negotiation, Ogunsegha said, “We still have the ongoing negotiation with the government. This negotiation will come up in May and the parties involved will fix the date in conjunction with the chief negotiator.
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