20 November 2013, Lagos – No fewer than 7,000 workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, sacked in the wake of Federal Government’s hand-over of PHCN’s facilities to new owners, are yet to be paid a kobo, while about 30,000 of the staff received part payment of their severance benefits.
This is five days after the expiration of the 15 days promised by government in the agreement reached with organised labour on the eve of the hand-over of the facilities to the new owners.
Investigation confirmed that contrary to promise, government has not addressed the issue of the 4,805 , whose biometric data had been captured, but were awaiting data re-verification; 2,500 identified as casuals by presidential Committee under the Minister of Labour and Productivity, normal retirees yet to receive their gratuity and pension benefits who are to be captured biometrically and paid accordingly.
Recall that the Federal Government and organised labour, on the eve of the handing over, reached agreement on pension issue, including non-payment of severance benefits to the workers.
– Victor Ahiuma-Young, Vanguard
