Jonathan to PHCN workers: Don't go on strike

By The Rainbow

President Goodluck Jonathan has appealed to disengaged workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) not to go on strike over delay in paying their severance packages.

He assured the workers that the government was doing all that was necessary to ensure that they got paid.

Jonathan spoke on Saturday during the commissioning the 500MW Omotosho II Power Station built by the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) in Ondo State.

He cautioned against  industrial action as government was committed to paying them all that was due to them.

Citing the experience in banking and the telecom sector, he said with the commitment of his administration to privatiing the power sector and the progress being recorded, the issue of power would soon be taken for granted in the country.

'We like to reassure all PHCN workers, our dear labour leaders that have not received their full severance packages that government is working hard to make sure that all of you get what is due to you. There is no need for industrial action,' he said.

Jonathan reiterated his promised to ensure that power was relatively stable in the country next year, saying, 'We promise that before the middle of next year, light will be reasonably, I am not saying total, light will be reasonably stabilized in the country.'

The President added that the target of government was to add 4700mw to the existing power generating capacity with the commissioning of all the 10 power plants being built by the NIPP.