Electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have protested the nonpayment of salaries, pensions and other entitlements across the privatised power firms.
NUEE had earlier given a 21-day notice in a letter written to the Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman to intervene in the issue. The duration however, elapsed on Tuesday, forcing the NUEE members with support from the umbrella body of Trade Union Congress (TUC) to stage the protest.
Our reporter observed that electricity workers at the headquarters of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) joined in the protest.
The union blamed the Federal Ministry of Power for failing to act within the warning period.
A copy of the letter seen on Wednesday by this paper was signed by the National President of NUEE, Comrade Joe Ajaero.
The union said all the power firms must comply with their terms which include; remittance of pensions due to all the engaged staff of the DisCos, Generation Companies (GenCos) and other power firms, most of whom were transferred from the defunct PHCN after the power sector privatization in 2013.
The union also described as a unacceptable a situation where staff get paid 45 days after working for a full month due to deduction policies of CBN amidst the liquidity crisis affecting the power firms.
NUEE further blamed the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) for failing to pay over 2000 disengaged PHCN staff since the 2013 privatisation.
It also said the privatised firms have refused to implement certain conditions which has led to the under payment of over 50,000 employees.
The ministry is yet to issue a statement on the protest by the time of filing this report.
