If the Federal Government doesn’t comply with its demands soon, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has threatened to shut down the national grid once more.
The Federal Government was given two weeks to settle the problem, but according to the electricity workers, that time has passed.
On Thursday, September 22, Comrade Dukat Ayuba, the zonal organising secretary for NUEE’s North West region, briefed reporters in Kaduna and said that although negotiations were still ongoing, the national grid would soon shut down.
He said the so-called privatization of the sector was a scam. He explained that nine years after, nothing has changed to improve its activities, especially to the consumers of electricity.
He added, “That was why we kicked against privitazing the distribution sector, because the investors don’t have the capacity and expertise. As committed Nigerians, we advised government against it. But the government was hell bent on doing so.
“The investors are still operating with obsolete equipment dating back to 35, 40, and 50 years. One will expect that with the coming of the investors they will replace this obsolete equipment but nothing has been done.”
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He regretted that the nation still generates 5,000 megawatts of electricity, saying that it is the same 5,000 megawatts that they used to generate, with no benefit from privitazation.
“We now generate megawatts with higher tariffs. Bringing hardships to the homes of millions of Nigerians. This will only happen in Nigeria,” he explained.
Wisdom Nwachukwu, a member of Central Executive Committee, noted that the federal government now wants to sell the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
“They are going behind meeting with some stakeholders. We are watching them. We will not allow that. We are patriotic Nigerians who want the best for our country,” he said
Ado Gaya, the Vice President, North West, NUEE, while elaborating further, revealed that the 16 months demanded by the electricity workers is their legitimate earnings which involved 55,000 workers.
He explained that nine years after, the workers have not received a dime, regretting that many of the workers had died, while those who were laid off were suffering with their families receiving nothing to help them make a living.
