SSAEAC TASKS ACTING PRESIDENT ON ELECTRICITY

Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Corporations (SSAEAC) has appealed to the Acting President Goodluck Jonathan to give the issue of power prominence in its agenda.

Speaking at a meeting with journalists in Lagos, the president of the Union, Comrade Bede Opara enjoined the Acting President to pursue vigorously the programme of power supply to the nation.

'Even if it's the only thing he can achieve, Nigerians will forever be grateful to him,' he said. He however said that the Acting President could only succeed in the issue of power supply by listening to the professional advice from the workers.

'We are labour leaders, we are not politicians. We are stakeholders and know what needs to be done in order to ensure regular supply of electricity to the entire country,' he said.

Comrade Opara noted that Nigeria has other resources besides water that could ensure regular supply of electricity which those in government have turned a blind eyes on. He lamented that the coal deposits in the has remained untapped whereas is been effectively used in the United States of America and South Africa to generate light. 'Besides we equally have surplus gas, it is a matter of managing it effectively and bringing in machine that will depend on some other things than water which is only seasonal,' he added.

He revealed that 5,482 of the targeted 6,000 megawatts capacity has been achieved. But emphasized that the nation could have more than 6,000 megawatts if the power project being pursued by National Integrated power project and independent power project are completed on schedule.

The labour president however warned that such could be achieved if the transmission and distribution channels are in good order.

He lamented that the problem with the electricity in the country was because of poor infrastructure.

'Nigerians are not interested in megawatts but power availability, which can only be done if the facility abandoned for over 20 years are turned around,' he insisted. Comrade Opara also warned that the winding up of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) by the government would resisted by the workers if all labour related issues are not resolved.