PDP CHIEFTAIN CONDEMNS CALL FOR PHCN WORKERS STRIKE

By NBF News

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Obinna Okwuaka has berated the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Joseph Ajaero for calling on the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) staff to stop work over Federal Government's payment of monetized benefits to workers.

In a statement made available to Sunday Sun, he said the call is akin to inviting the military to abort the present eleven-year uninterrupted democracy.

'It is painful that it is not the first time he had wallowed in this hollow, unconvincing, insensitive, unpatriotic, and condemnable act. 'He had ordered the PHCN workers to go on strike with effect from August 25, 2010, over the pace of payment of the same monetized benefits and indeed, succeeded in throwing the nation into darkness 48 hours to the launch of the ROADMAP by the President and Commander In-chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan', he said.

He regretted that Ajaero's action is compounded by a circular which ordered members of staff to 'chase away' government officials visiting PHCN facilities in connection with the privatization of the utility.

He said that the present administration has not only approved but released the entire entitlements to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), within six months in office. Payments have commenced and over 92 per cent of the workforce has benefited from the incentive with the remaining required to undergo further Due Process before their payments are effected.

'Where was Ajaero when the said monetized benefits were in limbo for seven uninterrupted years and PHCN staff resorted to prayers and fasting, to no avail and he did not order a strike?', he asked

He wondered who Ajaero is working for.
'Will it not bother Ajaero that by this message, Nigerians are not happy with him and staff of PHCN he is calling out for strike? For so long, Nigeria has been held down by economic and industrial crisis precipitated by electricity crisis engineered and doctored by Ajaero and his co-travelers', he added.