Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Electricity workers under the auspices of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC, have written to the management of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED, over Corona virus pandemic.
The workers in a letter titled, Unsafe Work Environment Amidst COVID-19 Epidemic, and addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of PHED, stated that coronavirus is a particular epidemic that should be given a particular attention.
Acting Secretary of SSAEAC, South-South, Comrade Innocent Lord-Douglas, in the letter demanded PHED to provide hand sanitizers, nose masks, hand gloves, soap and running water, to every electricity workers under its employment in the four states of its operations.
Lord-Douglas in the letter said as partners in progress, the union has already sent out safety tips to its members as a protective measures against contacting Covid-19.
He added that it was imperative to draw PHED’s attention to the unhealthy development in the work place, which according to him, portends danger to the staff, and members of the union in the organisation.
“Our resilient members working in your organisation have guaranteed commitment that the job in PHEDC remains to a great extent undistrupted, despite the effect of Covid-19 which has caused lock down to so many private and public sectors, including Government Agencies and parastatals.
“In the same way, we request management to provide and make available to staff hand sanitizers, nose masks, hand gloves, soap and running water.
“This should go beyond what management has provided to some zonal offices but should be provided to branch offices and operational vehicles in our state of operations.”
The union further disclosed that electricity workers on duty are very vulnerable to COVID19, because of their personal contact with public, as their line of duties has also made public distancing very difficult.
“We suggest that management consider staff classification into teams A and B to work alternative week as being observed presently in other DISCOS.
“Markets in most state of our operations have been shut down, the welfare of staff and their families should be management top most priority at this time.
“While we join our faith with management against this dreaded epidemic in our work place, we promise to work with management to ensure that management responds’ in the International best practices on prevention of Covid-19.”
