By Adeola Yusuf/ Lagos
Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, and representatives of
Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) workers, on Thursday, last week entered
the final phase of negotiations to ensure an amicable settlement of the workers’
terminal benefits. Before this, the PHCN workers unions have engaged the
government in a tug of war over the privatisation, a move that has been a hurdle
to the process.
Members of the House of Representatives were, as a result of the persistent
blackout in the country, last Wednesday, were forced to adjourn plenary session,
due to power outage at the lower arm of the National Assembly.
The power cut, which was intermittent, affected the public address system in
the House. Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, who presided over proceedings, had to
postpone sitting till the following day.
As this was going on, the race to buy over the Power Holding Company of
Nigeria (PHCN) hot up as the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) confirmed the
receipt of $559 million from 14 prospective buyers of 15 successor companies.
This amount represented 25 percent of the offer value of the 15 PHCN companies,
with some making payments just before the Thursday, March 21 deadline.
While the buyers rush to become core investors in the PHCN successor
companies, the tussle between the Federal Government and workers is stalling
efforts to reform the sector.
Leaders of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, wants the
Federal Government to address its 10-point grievances, following which its
leadership has started massive mobilisation of members across the country for an
industrial action, should government fail to meet the workers’ demands.
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