Workers’ strike paralyses Shiroro dam

[MrVan]

By Wole Mosadomi

MINNA—Activities were paralysed at Shiroro Dam of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, in Niger State, yesterday, following the indefinite strike embarked upon by National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, over the decision of Federal Government to merge them with the old pension scheme.

The main gate of the Dam was put under lock and key, while the workers staged their protest and prevented other workers from gaining entrance into the premises.

They had different placards with various inscriptions, such as: Don't short change us; Pay us our full benefits; Bart Nnaji, Tell Nigerians the truth about PHCN; Minister of Power, Treat us with Dignity, among others, and chanted war songs at the gate.

Speaking to newsmen during the protest, Chairman of NUEE, Mallam Nagwa Mohammed, said most of them had been told to go but had not been paid or told what their entitlements were before they were eventually laid off.

He said: "We do not have guns; we only want the world to know that we are being intimidated and cheated. They are asking us to go and we are ready to go if our entitlements are paid.

"Government should honor the agreement by paying us our full benefits. You cannot send people away by force. It is not done anywhere."

Mohammed said they were not afraid to leave the job, but that what they wanted was for government to allow them continue with the old pension scheme and honor the conditions of employment, which states that when they are retiring their full benefits must be paid.

He added that the introduction of National Pension Commission, PENCOM, was not welcomed by the staff.

Mohammed noted that there were other pending issues to be addressed before the new pension scheme, adding that though the 2.5 percent contribution as contained in the condition of service was still in force, the authorities have started deducting the 7.5 percent from the salary of the workers, which must also be addressed.

Vanguard Nigeria