NLC Faults FG’s Plan To Restructure TCN

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has alleged that the Federal Government’s plan to restructure the Electricity Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is “for the eventual take over by the cronies of the ruling elite”.

The NLC in a statement signed by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and made available to THE WHISTLER said the move indicates danger to the power sector, thus causing anxiety for major stakeholders in the sector.

Recall that the Minister of Power Mr. Adebayo Adelabu said the government plans to restructure the TCN. The move, according to him, was in line with the Electricity Act 2023 and the industry demands, following the sector’s inability to provide adequate electricity ten years after privatisation.

However, Ajaero claimed that the government has a hidden agenda to the restructuring.

“It imperils the ability of the state to control, regulate and guarantee the safety of the nation’s grid system at all times.

“It is clear that the main motive behind the plans for the proposed restructuring is none other than to prepare the TCN for eventual takeover by the cronies and lackeys of the ruling elite.

“When words like unbundling are bandied about in Nigeria, the masses and workers become frightened because of the level of misery such words have foisted on the people.

“Unbundling heralded the death of the downstream sector of the nation’s petroleum sector, it sounded the death knell on the power sector and raised its ugly spectre once again at this time when the people are facing serious socioeconomic challenges may compound the woes of the people.

“We want to quickly say that the idea behind the so-called plans to restructure is the same big grammar that was spoken before and during the failed privatisation exercise of the sector” Ajaero said.

He also said the NLC believes that the president is making the same mistake previous administrations have made with the policy direction his minister of power is trying to follow in seeking to unbundle TCN for privatization.

“The disaster that will befall the nation’s power sector would be multidimensional. The quest to ultimately hand over the transmission infrastructure would expose the nation to blackmail and weaken the ability of the sector to transmit and distribute power around the country.

“Privatizing it will create the same crisis prevailing within the DISCOs and GENCOs and will impact the quality-of-service deliverance by the Power sector to Nigerians,” he noted.