Strike looms in power sector over job losses

Investors in the power sector may be in for an industrial crisis, as labour unions in the industry have threatened to fight moves by the firms to sack thousands of their workers.

This may worsen the deplorable power situation in some parts of the country, as the workers are set to stop the supply of electricity to the south-south and south-west regions by the end of the month.

The unions declared that the investors were only trying to compound the woes in the industry if any worker is sacked.

This is coming after the termination of the appointments of about 47,000 employees, when the successor companies to the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria were handed over to them last November.

Since the privatisation of the power sector, the investors who bought over the companies have complained of numerous challenges facing them. These include inadequate gas supply, poor manpower base and obsolete equipment.

Thousands of workers in the power sector could lose their jobs, as the six-month contractual employment given to them by the new investors would expire on April 30 2014.

The Federal Government had ordered the retrenchment of about 20,000 PHCN workers ahead of the takeover of the 18 successor companies last year. This was said to be in response to the demands of the new investors, who wanted the over 50,000 PHCN workforce reduced before takeover.

Though 47,913 PHCN workers were disengaged following the privatisation of the power firms, the new investors were contractually required to retain some workers in order to prevent the system from collapsing.