Electricity workers threaten power sector shutdown: ENUGU — THE National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, yesterday, gave the Federal Government seven daysto resolve the strike embarked upon by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, or face a total shut down of electricity facilities in the country. The union said that it could no longer sit back and watch those in positions of authority destroy the future of young Nigerians who have remained at home for weeks on account of the Federal Government’s refusal to meet the legitimate demands by ASUU. General Secretary of NUEE, Mr Joe Ajaero, who spoke ata training workshop for labour leaders in the power sector in Enugu, said thatelectricity workers across the country would be directed to join other progressive labour unions “to shut down the country” as a way of expressing anger over the lingering face-off between the Federal Government and the academic staff. He said: “We can no longer sit back and watch this disturbing drama going on between the Federal government and ASUU. If the strike is not addressed within the next one week, NUEE and other progressive unions, will shut down the country. “It is unfortunate that those in power are not bothered about the closure of the universities. They are lessconcerned because none of their children are studyingin Nigerian universities. “Their children are overseas just as they travel overseas for medical attention because theyhave allowed our hospitals to die. Whether our children are out of school or not they are not bothered but we are going to join our children to stay at home from next week.” Ajaero called on the National Assembly to make a legislation banning public office holders from sending their children to study abroad just as overseas medical trips by public officersshould be outlawed to enable government address the numerous problems weighing the nation down. “Our public institutions are dead because those unpatriotic leaders have nothing to do with them but when they are banned from traveling overseas to access improved facilities, they will have no option than to look inward and address our numerous challenges,” he added. According to the NUEE General Secretary, the payment of their members’ entitlements had remained slow explaining that the government’s promise to conclude the payment before weekend mightnot be feasible as majority of the workers were yet to be settled. He urged the Federal Government to stop playing politicswith electricity workers’ entitlements, Ajaero reiterated the union’s resolve not to allow the new investorsaccess to the power stations until all the workerswere fully settled. He, however, expressed regrets that some of the workers who had received their entitlements were already living in luxury by buying expensive cars and traveling overseasinstead of investing the fundson rewarding ventures. Ajaero stated that the training workshop for the union leaders was intended to enlighten them on the need to encourage their members to engage in investmentsthat would be beneficial to them and membersof their family after disengaging from service. Via vanguard.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 08:55:43 +0000
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