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Tag: PHCN

  • PHCN pensioners shelve planned protest against minister

    But for the quick intervention of the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo and the Minister of State, Hon. Mohammed Wakil, the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja would have been picketed by aggrieved PHCN pensioners for the non-payment of their four- month  pension.

    The Federal Government owes the pensioners under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners NUP (Electricity Sector) N4.5 billion monthly pensions since March, this year while some have not been paid since February.

    The pensioners who were set to embark on a peaceful protest to the Ministry of Finance on suspended the planned protest following a meeting with the two ministers at the Ministry of Power in Abuja and promise to pay within one week.

    NUP President, Comrade Temple Ubani, while addressing journalist in Abuja said the pensioners unanimously agreed to suspend the protest following high level of intervention by the ministers.

    He said the ministers related to them what they have discussed with President Goodluck Jonathan and his willingness to find an immediate solution to their problems.

    He lamented that they have been suffering while some have died as a result of the non-payment of their monthly pension for the past four months, noting that they are also owed gratuities and other pension benefits.

    He said the ministers also informed the pensioners that they were assured by the Coordinating Minister of finance and Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to pay the arrears in one week.

    He said: “We wish to inform the general public and the world at large, about the callous, inhuman and undignified manner the Federal Government of Nigeria has been treating NEPA/PHCN retirees since the advent of reforms in the electric power sector and privatisation of PHCN.

    “The PHCN management at the end of August 2012 failed to pay pensions to our members. The Federal Government had at the time, directed the Market Operator (MO) to stop the payment without any form of consultations or communication with our union. Government also directed Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Ltd/Gte (NELMCO) to assume the responsibility of paying our members monthly stipends with immediate effect, again without our consent or input. This was the genesis of an array of challenges of PHCN retirees up till this moment. Death of reliable data, non-payment of pensions, and other retirement entitlements, delayed release of funds by Federal Ministry of Finance to NELMCO bedeviled the transition.

    “None of the agreements reached with the Labour has been honoured by Government as we speak. These include but not limited to, “Failure to address the superannuation fund deficits to meet outstanding pension liabilities; outstanding pension arrears; non representation of the union in NELMCO Board; outstanding electricity rebates and non-payment of monetisation arrears.”

    Ubani further said that their pension was also wrongly classified as capital supplementation while all other pension funds were captured under Service Wide Vote.

    “NELMCO Pension Appropriation is classified as ‘CAPITAL SUPPLEMENTATION’ while all other pension funds were captured under Service Wide Vote.

  • Communities protest blackout

    Communities protest blackout

    Kofar Wase Tagabas, Karofin Madaki and Railway Quarters communities in Bauchi State yesterday stormed the office of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to protest the nine-month power outage in the areas.

    The protest, which began at PHCN’s Federal Low Cost Housing Estate Office to the state headquarters was joined by youths from the affected communities and elders.

    Their spokesman, Muhammad Sani, said: ‘’We have been in the dark for over nine months now.

    “We have been surviving on generators and it is not funny.

    “We pay our bills promptly for electricity we have not consumed with the hope that power will be restored.”

    He said several complaints to PHCN have not yielded any positive result.

    ‘’If nothing is done this time, we will have no choice but to report to Consumer Protection Council (CPC).

    But the PHCN Business Manager, Aliyu Tanimu, said: ‘’It is only my boss who can comment, but he has travelled to Abuja.”

  • Power supply improves as govt targets 5,000 MW

    Power supply improves as govt targets 5,000 MW

    Consumers seem to have good stories to tell about power supply. They say there has been an improvement, indicating that stable power supply is achievable AKINOLA AJIBADE report.

    Six months after the new investors took over the assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), power supply has improved slightly in Lagos, Abuja and a few other cities across the country, The Nation investigation has revealed.

    This is coming on the heels of the Federal Government’s plan to improve power generation from 4,500 megawatts (mw) to 5000mw by end of the year.

    In Lagos, consumers in some areas under the Ikeja and Eko Electricity Distribution Companies (IKEDC) have testified that supply to their areas had improved since April. Also, some, in Arepo, Akute and other distant in Ikeja DISCO and Lekki, said the supply had improved by over five hours daily.

    Power Minister Prof Chinedu Nebo promised that the government would continue to improve its performance, adding that 5000mw generation target would be attained by December.

    He said electricity generation increased by over 40 per cent from 2,500mw in 2011 to 4,500mw this month, and that the government was committed to its mandate.

    He said: “We inherited 2,500MW and we would more than double the figure by the end of this year. That is progress. I do not know how people define progress. As population increases, we would improve electricity supply to both urban and rural areas. This administration has put everything into the power sector to make it work. People are condemning the government, instead of commending it.”

    Nebo said the sector had been neglected by successive administration, which resulted in the decay of power infrastructure, adding that the population was growing without a concomitant growth in electricity infrastructure.

    He said Nigeria needed to produce 160,000mw to level up with South Africa in power supply, noting that it would be difficult to provide that in the light of the challenges in the sector.

    “There is no basis in comparing Nigeria’s power sector with that of South Africa. For Nigeria to be at par with South Africa, we should be generating 160,000mw. If you bring all companies together and make them work 24 hours a day, they cannot give you 160,000mw. Now that the private sector, there has been an increase in interest showed in the sector. There is an influx of investment in the sector. Based on this, we would get to a level where power outrage would be a thing of the past.

    “In Awka, power is stable except for the few minutes the residents experience power outrage. That is the situation in many parts of the country. There is improvement in power generation and distribution across the country in recent times,” Nebo added.

    The Nation investigation showed that power has improved in some parts of the Lagos, including Ikotun, Egbeda, Dopemu, Iyana-Ipaja, Ikeja, Oshodi, Anthony Village and Ejigbo.

    Others are Ebute-Metta, Yaba, and Oyingbo, on Lagos Mainland.

    Also, communities, such as Magboro, Mowe, Arepo, Sango-Ota and others in the Lagos-Ogun area have witnessed improved power supply.

    In Abuja area such as Jabi, Wuse 2, Nyanyan and the Central Business Districts (CBD) have witnessed improvement in power supply. But this could not be said of Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kubwa, Karshi, Kuje, Dobi Angada and other satellite towns where there is still erratic power supply.

    The Executive Director, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (ACMIL), Oluwole Asubiojo, said power has improved relatively in Abuja. He said businesses have also improved in some parts of Abuja, as a result of the energy supply increased.

    He said: “Stable power supply is still a far-fetched issue in Nigeria in spite of privatisation of the sector. It is obvious that power has improved relatively  in Abuja and its environs, however a lot needs to be done to develop the sector to expectation. The generation, distribution and transmission sections still have their own problems.

    A Partner at Usoro & Co, Laidi Munirideen, said improvement in power supply is not what Nigerians are looking for, noting that consumers need more than that from the government since power players a crucial role in the socio-economic development, not only of the people, but the nation as well.

    “It is evident that power has improved, but not to a level Nigerians are looking out for. In Lagos Island, where I work, many firms rely on alternative energy supply. This is because they cannot depend sole on power from the national grid. This means that the country still has a long way to go in the area of power, he added.

    The General Manager, Consumer Services, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Ms Olubukola Ojuronpe, said the power firms and the government were putting in place measures to improve the sector’s growth. She said the firms were not happy that consumers are not accessing power regularly, adding that they are making efforts to improve supply.

    According to her, the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)and owners of the 15 powers firms are meeting regularly to find lasting solutions to the problems in the sector.

    The Ministries of Power and Petroleum Resources have formed a synergy to improve gas supply to the thermal stations to ensure constant power generation, she said.

  • Fed Govt extends ex-PHCN’s workers probation by six months

    Fed Govt extends ex-PHCN’s workers probation by six months

    THE  probation of the 15,000 workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has been extended by another six months, The Nation has learnt.

    The extension, it was gathered, was granted by the Federal Government to help the 15 power generation companies (Gencos) and distribution companies (Discos) stabilise their operations.

    A senior management staff member of one of the DISCOSM who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the extension was part of measures introduced by the government to improve activities of the PHCN successor companies.

    The sources said the companies are short-staffed, following the sack of the over 60 per cent of the 48,000 workers a few days to the November 1, last year handing over of the then government-owned corporation to the new investors.

    But the Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Pekun Adeyanju, said he was not aware of the extension, adding that the firm has given many workers permanent employment.

    He said: “As far as I’m concerned, I’m not aware of the extension. At the initial stage, some workers were disengaged, while others are on probation. The workers on probation have been given permanent letters of employment by the management. However, I do not know the number of staff that was employed, after April 30 deadline elapsed,‘’ he said.

    The power firms have been battling infrastructural problems, caused by shortage of gas, frequent drop in water level at the hydro power stations, meters, weak distribution and transmission networks and workforce, among others.

    The development resulted in the meeting between the chief executive officers of the firms and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to fashion out modalities on how to proffer solutions to the challenges.

  • Senate urges power firms’owners to prosecute cable vandals, others

    Senate urges power firms’owners to prosecute cable vandals, others

    The Senate Committee on Privatisation has directed new owners of the successor companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), to take advantage of laws in the various states to prosecute vandals of electric installations and those who obstruct electricity personnel from performing their duties in the interim.

    Its Chair, Senator  gave the directive while reacting to a request by the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), Mr. Jon Abbas, for the National Assembly to quickly enact a law to prosecute electricity installations’ vandals and allied offences. The members of the committee were on oversight visit to privatised enterprises in Rivers State.

    Head, Public Communication, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Chigbo Anichebe, in a statement quoted Obadara as saying the power companies could do that by collaborating with the judiciary in the states to constitute mobile courts to handle all cases relating to electric power infractions.

    He said: “We advise you to take advantage of existing laws in all the states of the federation to prosecute electricity installations’ vandals and allied offences. You could collaborate with the Judiciary in all the states to constitute mobile courts to try these offenders. On our part, both chambers of the National Assembly will synergise to enact a law on electric power offences in the future.”

    He reiterated the committee’s resolve to assist the power companies to overcome their challenges to give Nigerians efficient and uninterrupted power supply, adding: “We will not hesitate to wield the big stick when we find you wanting.”

    At Afam Power Station, the Managing Director, Mr. Leo Ofurum, said the plant managed by Nigerian engineers generates 65 megawatts (Mw) as against the installed 75Mw. He noted that the plant makes N100million monthly for the government.

    Obadara commended the  engineers for their ingenuity and urged them to cooperate with Talevares Group, the preferred bidder for the plant, to turn it around.

     

  • Electricity workers insist on labour policy

    Electricity workers insist on labour policy

    Despite the inauguration of a Technical Working Group (TWG) by the Federal Government to provide common operational guidelines for employees in the power and labour sectors, the  electricity workers unions would continue to use industrial relations practice  to address problems facing their members, the General Secretary, Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), Abiodun Ogunsegha, has said.

    He said the guidelines could not serve as a substitute for the normal industrial relation practice which states that each sector should handle issues bordering on the welfare of its workers independently.

    He said: ‘’While appreciating the government’s efforts to provide common guidelines for labour and electricity workers in the country, we cannot accept as a substitute for the existing industrial relations practice because of the problems facing the power sector. We will still be dialoguing with each of the 15 new power investors to solve our members’ problems.

    ‘’ While we are awaiting the group to submit its report in July as directed by the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo and his counterpart in Labour Ministry, Chief Emeka Worgu, we would continue to address issues affecting our members in line with the industrial relations policy that mandate each sector to tackle employees issues or problems independently first.’’

    He noted that there was no cordial relationship between the management of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and its workers on one hand, and PHCN and the communities on the other.

     

    ‘’Based on this, the government needs to allow all the industrial relation issues before and after the privatisation of PHCN to be resolved first. Thereafter, the common guidelines policy can take effect. PHCN has been privatised. The government cannot ride us by imposing new guidelines on us. The dues of every worker must be given to them. We would not allow the rights of our people to be trampled upon.’’ he added.

    According to him, communities are buying poles, transformers, metres and other equipment the government is expected to provide as practiced in developed economies.

  • Deadline for payment of Kaduna, Afam power assets expires

    Deadline for payment of Kaduna, Afam power assets expires

    The deadline set by the Federal Government for preferred bidders of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (DISCO) and Afam Generation Company (Genco) to pay the  75 per cent of the bid price of the assets expired yesterday.

    According to sources at the agencies responsible for privatisation of public owned assets, who spoke to The Nation, said the deadline became necessary because the new owners were foot-dragging in paying the balance, a problem which delayed the conclusion of privatisation of the successor companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    The sources said the preferred bidder for Afam Power Generation Plc, the Taleveras Group, a consortium made up of Alstom Nigeria Limited, Alstom Group, the Rivers State Government and Talevaras Petroleum Trading BV, paid 25 per cent of the bid price of $260,050,000, but were reluctant to disclose the bid price of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company.

    They explained that what led to the deferment of sale of Kaduna DISCO was not finance but technical, adding that none of the previous bidders met the technical requirement of the privatisation agencies.

    But they  noted that the preferred bidder, Northwest Power Limited met the Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection Loss reduction (AT&C) of 29.26 per cent, but refused to disclose how much the consortium offered for the utility firm.

    The two preferred bidders have been granted access to the assets since February and have been working with the transitional committees to  be familiar the terrain.

     

     

    They will be working with the committee and companies’ managements until full payments are made and will be when they would assume full control of the power assets.

    The Director-General of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Dikki, however, told the new owners that they were only allowed access to information and to acquaint themselves with the workings of the companies and not in decision-making.

    The transitional committees would aid the new owners to interact, learn from the managements of the companies inherited from PHCN on operations of the companies. The process is also part of the Post Acquisition Plan (PAP), to enable the investors interface with the management and ensure smooth transition from public sector-oriented companies to private sector driven firms. They will also work with the inherited PHCN staff for six months after, which they will decide on whom to retain or sack.

    The two companies emerged preferred bidders for the two assets in August yet seven months after, they are still to assume full control of the assets thereby delaying government’s efforts to provide stable power supply in the country.

     

     

  • NLC, ex-PHCN workers protest unlawful sack in Ibadan

    NLC, ex-PHCN workers protest unlawful sack in Ibadan

    Activities were disrupted yesterday at the headquarters of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) as members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights () barricaded the entrance of the office.
    The workers, who stormed the place around 7:15am, prevented many of the company’s staff from entering the premises. They said they were protesting sundry issues that started from the privatisation of PHCN.
    Their grievances included the “unlawful” sack of their members from the defunct PHCN by the new owners, non-payment of severance packages to workers who had worked up to 10 years as casual workers and the issuance of exorbitant electricity bills.
    The protesters, in full glare of soldiers who had been guarding the office, mobile policemen and Department of State Security (DSS) operatives, sang solidarity songs for hours.
    They carried placards reading: “Recall sacked workers now”; “Labour says no to casualisation of workers”; “We worked for 10 years in electricity industry without engagement. What is our fate”; “No to the anti-union stance of the investors” and “No progress can come with Darlington in charge”, among others.
    Oyo NLC Chairman Comrade Bashir Olanrewaju said the NLC was joining “victimised” NUEE members to fight against labour slavery, victimisation, and public extortion by the government and power investors.
    Olanrewaju said: “The government and those they sold PHCN to have not fulfilled many of the agreements reached with workers before and after the privatisation. We have come here today as the second phase. We have come here before. We have had several meetings but they have never fulfilled many of their promises. We are here today to inform the public that workers are being exploited by their nation.
    “They sacked workers without paying them a kobo, saying they were casuals, whereas casualisation is illegal in Nigeria. The government said those who were retrenched would get their salaries on time but uptil now many of them have not been paid anything.
    “Also, they have prevented Nigerians from unionising. The investors have banned unions. This is against the right to freedom of association in the 1999 Constitution. They said after they have finished sharing our commonwealth among themselves, that it would bring an end to crazy bills in Nigeria. Uptil now, they are still bringing crazy bills and many areas in are without electricity.”
    After a brief argument with security agencies who attempted to dislodge the protesters, Olanrewaju warned that any attempt by the security men to apply force would lead to the union extending the protest.
    Reacting to IBEDC workers, who were watching the protesters from their office windows, NUEE Southwest Vice-President Comrade Niyi Akinola said: “Those of you looking at us are selfish. You think of yourselves alone. You forget that the same may happen to you. Anyway, we would be here to fight for you when they eventually sack you.”
    NLC warned that if nothing positive is heard from the government after the protest, the union would organise the May Day rally at the same place.

  • Electricity workers protest in Ondo

    Electricity workers protest in Ondo

    The Nigeria Electricity Workers Union (NEWU) in Ondo State began yesterday a seven-day protest over fixed electricity charges.
    NEWU Chairman Samson Adeladun described the fixed charges by electricity distribution companies as “exploitative”.
    Adeladun said fixed was an attempt to rob the masses, adding: “The fixed charges levied on the people by the various electricity distribution companies are ways to rob the people, whether they supply them power or not. Such fees should be abolished.”
    Adeladun decried the non-payment of terminal dues to workers laid off by the defunct PHCN as earlier agreed.
    The workers sang war songs and carried placards reading: “No more fixed charges”; “Pay us our entitlements”; “Funke Osibodu must go” and “no to tyranny”.
    The protesters barricaded the road leading to the state secretariat, despite the heavy presence of security men.
    Many observers complained about epileptic power supply and outrageous bills.
    The Akure office of the Benin Electricity Development Company (BEDC) was locked during the protest.
    None of the officers responded to phone calls put through to them.

  • Court to hear suit against PHCN May 5

    A Lagos High Court has fixed May 5 for hearing in a suit between some landlords and the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Plc. The Orile-Agege, a Lagos suburb landlords sued PHCN over an alleged breach of agreement and refusal to pay compensation for its high tension lines that pass over their buildings.

    The claimants are Mr. Jimmy Oni Olufade, Reverend P.A. Elemide and Chief Ismaila Olowo, representing themselves and others whose buildings were approved as affected by the defendant’s transmission lines.

    In their 25-paragraph statement of claim , they accused the defendant of not paying compensation contrary to the agreement reached on March 14, 2005 that payment would be made on May 31, 2005.

    They are asking for an order directing the defendant to pay N16,249,296 as compensation; an order directing the defendants to pay interest at 20 per cent rate per annum on the original sum of N20,311,620 agreed on as compensation from June 1, 2005 until the date of judgment.

    The claimants live with their families at Amulegboniyun, Ayobo, Ipaja, Abule-Oki and Orile Agege villages. They claimed to have been in possession of their buildings before the defendant installed the overhead transmission lines.

    They also claimed through their lawyer,Mr Abayomi Omoyinmi, to have neighbours at Ashipa and Atan Nla villages who are victims of PHCN affected by the erection of PHCN’s transmission lines.

    The defendant’s transmission lines, which transmit electricity, they said, cause noise, annoyance, nuisance, inconvenience, danger and are detrimental to them, their families and neighbours.

    They claimed to have written to the PHCN through their solicitors, together with their neighbours, series of letters of complaining of how injurious the electricity cables can be and how they obstruct further developments on their buildings.

    They averred that the defendant did not respond to their letter consequent upon filling their Suit no: ID/108/92 Ifebort Farms Limited and others versus NEPA, where they claimed damages/compensation from the defendants.

    They averred that in the course of proceeding, the defendant paid compensation, to their neighbous and later their solicitors after the inspection of their buildings, which were marked as affected, valued and proposed for settlement.

    They said they reminded the defendant that their buildings have not been inspected and left out among those to be compensated.

    They claimed to have written series letters to the defendant, which it did not deny the agreement, but has not paid till date.

    But the PHCN objected to the suit in one-paragraph ‘Notice of Preliminary Objection’ filed by its counsel, Mr. C.H. Nwuke, basing its preliminary objection on issue of jurisdiction.

    It, therefore, submitted that the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the suit since there is no proper defendant before it. It then urged the court to strike out the suit with substantial cost.

    In PHCN’s eight-paragraph statement of defense, Nwuke urged the court to dismiss the action as there is no cause for it.

    The claimants’ action according to Nwuke, is statute barred as it was not instituted within the period statutorily provided for such.

    The PHCN, the statement claimed, has been divested of all powers, matters and issues relating to transmission of electric power in Nigeria by the provisions of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2004.

    The company, the court was, has by the provisions of the Act and the Electric Power Reform (Transfer of Assets, Liabilities, Rights and obligations) Order No. 1 of 2006, transferred all assets, employees, liabilities rights and obligations connected with and related to electric power transmission in Nigeria to another statutory body, Transmission Company of Nigeria Plc (TCN) set up for such.

    The claimant consequently filed an application seeking to join TCN as second defendant in the suit. The motion on notice was brought under Order 13 Rule 4 and 17(1), (2) High Court Rules and the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

    But the PHCN in its counter affidavit against the motion for joinder deposed to by Emmanuel Omoju, averred that paragraphs 10, 11, and 12 in the statement of claims are not true, insisting that there is no competent suit because there is no party before the court.

    It, therefore, urged the court to strike out the suit, saying that the action is statute barred.