N384bn: FG pays all PHCN staff next week

By ADEWALE SANYAOLU
The Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Dikki, has assured stakeholders that payment of outstanding payment of labour liabilities to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) workers is to be concluded next week.
Dikki reaffirmed that the Federal Government is committed to concluding the payment of all verified entitlements of the staff of PHCN successor companies before the end of second week of October and immediately, commence the process of physical handover of the assets to the new owners.
The BPE boss stated this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on the sidelines of the burial ceremony in honour of the mother of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, Senator Olugbenga Obadara.
He disclosed that the funds required for the exercise have been remitted to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) who has transferred same to commercial banks for onward payment to the workers.
The director general recalled that the Federal Government had earmarked the entire $2.6 billion proceeds expected from the sale of PHCN successor companies for the settlement of the benefits of the staff.
He, however, regretted that the delay in concluding payments to some staff was as a result of differences in names, multiple Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) and wrong account numbers submitted by some staff.
He promised that as auditors verify and reconcile the differences, payments would be concluded as expeditiously as possible.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) had in a recent statement protested the planned handover, saying several labour issues had not been settled. It, therefore, said if the government continued with its action, the PHCN workers would not be able to guarantee electricity supply after Wednesday, October 2, 2013.
The union, in a statement by its General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero, said: “Because of the Independence Day ceremonies, we will be patient to allow for full celebrations. However, we hereby urge Nigerians to bear with us if after October 2, 2013 the government goes ahead with her illicit handover to the investors in a forceful takeover. The implication will be that the workers would have technically been asked to withdraw their services and we may not be able to guarantee smooth operations. Consequently, if after October 2, 2013, the office of the vice president fails to correct this misleading information, we shall not guarantee supply of electricity in the country. This is not a threat as our earlier ultimatum has expired.”
The union listed issues that were not resolved to include the non-conclusion of payment of terminal benefits to the workers; non-payment of retirement savings to the workers’ Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and non-remittance of two per cent of the union deductions as agreed.