03 July 2013, Lagos – ORGANISED labour in the Nigeria’s power sector, has warned the management of Geometric/Aba Power Limited, against unfair labour practices, to avoid confrontation with workers, even as the National Union of Electricity Emmployees, NUEE, inaugurated Geometrics/Aba Power Chapter of the union.
Specifically, NUEE advised the Chairman of Geometrics/Aba Power Ltd, and former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji on the consequences of introducing unfair labour practices in his company.
Speaking during the inauguration of the NUEE Geometric/Aba Power Chapter, NUEE’s General Secretary and Deputy President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said: “We are here to inaugurate the NUEE Chapter in Geometric and Aba Power and to ensure that the rights and privileges of the workers here are protected.
Having been a participant in this sector and after various engagements with the Union, we are convinced that you will not adopt any of those unfair labour practices that brought about a head-on collision with you while in the Ministry of Power.”
“We are certain that if you had started operations in this company without allowing unionisation, we would have been at your gate to picket the following day. We know that you understand the consequences of introducing casual labour in this company; we will not tolerate the introduction of slave wages in this company. The NUEE had been at the forefront of calling for private sector investment as a way of adding capacity to the already saturated 4,000MW being generated by the Federal Government.”
Also speaking, President of the Union, Comrade Mansur Musa, commended the investors in Geometric and Aba Power for the massive investment in the area and the introduction of modern equipment in the system.
Responding, Nnaji commended the Union for inaugurating a Chapter and agreeing to work with them in Geometric and Aba Power.
He said that: “It will be counter-productive for anybody to pay unattractive wages in such a competitive sector, and we promise to abide by all known labour standards.”
Nnaji added that the company had a capacity to employ over 300 staff when the projects are completed, and promised to ensure steady power supply in the areas under his coverage.
*Victor Ahiuma-Young, Vanguard
