On the unpatriotic self serving PTSD induced industrial action that the National Union Of Electricity Employees (NUEE) embarked upon yesterday, it is simply a sabotage of the Nigerian economy
I said it last night on @AIT_Online News last night (link coming) and I maintain it
This is probably the only country in the world where such impunity is allowed to pass, without punishment
Only last week, the electricity workers in Hyderabad, India went on strike, without switching off the lifeline of the State
Now, let’s take a look at the demands of the NUEE
1) the new @TCN_NIGERIA Board asked that all Principal Managers be interviewed before promotion to Assistant Managers. Promotion Interview!!!!
2)A circular from the Head of Service “stigmatizing” former NEPA staff trying to work in other areas of the power sector, and
3) Non payment of December 2019 ‘entitlement’ of ex-PHCN staff
On (1), the MD @TCN_NIGERIA responded immediately calling off the promotion interviews
On (2) & (3), the Minister of State, Power, Jeddy Agba, responded by asking for 2weeks for Discussion and resolution.
The Union, instead, decided to flex, and throw the whole country into blackout, crippling businesses households
A newspaper puts the loss for those circa 10hrs at N2.3bn(https://t.co/zpYjNBh3mk)
We will never know how much the nation has lost
Again, no retribution for the sabotage and unnecessary flexing
Now, the strike has been called off, after meeting with Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labor
Not that their demands has been met, but the same 2 weeks that the Minister of State, Power, asked for
Those with losses are counting their losses
However, this incidence further calls into question the Power Sector Reform model that we have opted to implement in Nigeria, and the rationality of continuing with a single grid/power market
This unnecessary flexing of few people in the name of Union further strengthen the call to break down the Grid, we have examples of Canada, Brazil,Mexico,India and the USA to follow.
The Regulators, only in June announced a contract based evacuation of power generated by the Generating company, and while we are waiting for the gas suppliers to get us to a regular 5000MW, the Union strike.What, then, is the essence of the “Contract”?
We cannot allow a few people to keep holding the nation to ransom, without consequences.
I submit
