Electricity Employees Picketing Our Offices Has Grounded Distribution Of Power In South South – PHED

The Management of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) says the ongoing picketing of it’s offices has disrupted the activities of PHED in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa and Rivers States.

Mr. John Onyi, Manager, Corporate Communication, said the protests by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have adversely affected power supply to it’s customers thereby leading to grounding of economic activies in the states.

He said: “The picketing has disrupted the activities of PHED in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa and Rivers States in distributing power supply to it’s customers thereby leading to grounding of economic activies in the states.

“The avoidable action of the Union is becoming one too many for a service provider with the mandate of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to distribute power supply in its franchise area seamlessly.”

Meanwhile NUEE had in a press briefing listed reasons for embarking on the picketing as the “Refusal of Management to sign Condition of Service and Procurement Agreement, refusal to remit already deducted check-off dues, insensitivity to workers welfare and obnoxious policy of restructuring and repositioning.”

But these are accusations the PHED had since debunked, describing them as false.

“For emphasis, the Management of PHED never refused the signing of the condition of service. Infact, it was the leadership of Dr. Henry Ajagbawa that actualised the lingering CoS of about six years. After painstaking corrections and input from both parties, it was agreed for signing on the 23rd of May 2020.

“The stage was set for the signing but NUEE did not turn up, but Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies did and today SSAEC had a copy of the signed copy. PHED is still wondering why NUEE did not come for the signing.

“On the 1st of June 2020, another meeting was scheduled at their instance and as a responsive organization, OHED obliged them and that was the last time we heard from the Union until today.

“The Union check-off dues have been up to date in terms of remittance except two months in 2019 that are having reconciliation issue with the bank.”