Intervene in monetization payment, Warri PHCN workers task EFFC

By: Frank David
from: Warri

Warri business district workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to intervene in their monetization payment.

The PHCN workers in Warri made this call recently when they embarked on another round of strike action over the non-payment of their monetization which crippled business and social activities in Warri for few days.

The workers who were armed with various placards bearing different inscriptions such as “EFCC Help us Get our monetization,” “No monetization, no work,” “Government has something to hide in monetization payment,” “Why is management not taking action on the Warri monetization,” advised government to act now and pay their entitlement.
While addressing the striking PHCN workers at the premises of the Warri Business District of PHCN, the Benin Zonal Organizing Secretary of National Union of Electricity Employees NUEE, Comrade Joseph N. Ndem said their action was in order due to the present economic realities.

He said; “We know that you are fighting a just fight. We have come here as people who are also your leaders. There is no reason why they cannot pay your monetization. We are therefore demanding EFCC’s intervention in the matter. If for any reason, they have any record to show that this place has been paid, we want the proof and except that is done, we will not return back to work.” Adding, “We are prepared actually to make sure that as you are taking your destiny in your hands, we also look forward to seeing that your destiny should be achieved. We want to ensure that as your leaders, we cannot abandon you in mid sea; the General Secretary at the national level is going to be informed about your action and we shall all inform you at the appropriate time and within this measure, we want to say that this action is going to continue until further notice when we must have also be satisfied that management and government have also intervened into this matter, then we shall all retreat back to our offices”.

Also speaking, Comrade Benson. O. Okorodudu, the Co-ordinator/Information Officer, NUEE for Edo/Delta said no PHCN worker in Warri has been paid, even as the Federal government claimed to have paid 57 billion naira to the PHCN account.
“No reason has been given for this; if the government or management at any level has discovered that there are problems somewhere, may be it has to do with some of the workers, it cannot be the entire workforce, certainly it is one person, or two or group of persons; they have a way of sorting that out. It is on that note that we have left the Zonal meeting we were attending with the C.E.O. in Benin and of course, the Senior Zonal Organising Secretary in charge of this zone, Comrade J.N. Ndem who has come with myself and the Delta State Secretary, Taiwo Onovwiona to hear what is happening here and to say that we are in support of whatever that is going on here,” he added.

Fresh Angle can however report that normal business activity has since resumed in the Warri business office of PHCN after several customers who made frantic effort to buy card for their prepaid meter were denied access to the two offices in Warri following the strike action.