FG SHOULD STOP INTIMIDATING THE ELECTRICITY WORKERS!

STOP THE PRIVATISATION OF THE PHCN NOW!!

PRESS STATEMENT

1. The attention of the Joint Action Front (JAF) has been drawn to a sponsored attack against workers in the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE). In the statement made available to the JAF leadership, NUEE reported that:

“On Friday August 3, 2012 around 1230hrs, a middle aged man came to our National Secretariat claiming that he had a mail for us and on getting to our reception, he said he forgot the mail. Unknown to him that he was under surveillance, he made a call to an unknown person that he was already “there” and later entered into one of the offices with devices capable of causing explosion but before he could actualize his mission, he was overpowered by the vigilant staff on duty. On interrogation, he claimed he was looking for a toilet. The Police at the Adekunle Divisional Police Station, Yaba-Lagos was immediately contacted and the man was promptly arrested. Further interrogation by the Police has confirmed that he is not a staff of NIPOST as claimed and that his given residence was a fluke”.

2. JAF wishes to recall the spate of harassment and threat, in the past one year, on members and leadership of NUEE. We recall, in particular, the deployment of soldiers to PHCN facilities in mid-November 2011 under the guise of national security, but the real intention of the Federal Government (FG) being to forcefully take-over of PHCN and hand it over to their cronies.
3. The latest act of attack is basically aimed at intimidating the leadership of NUEE and workers in the electricity sector, who have been consistent in their resistance to the FG’s desperate agenda of privatization of the power sector.
4. JAF deplores this unwarranted attack and warns the FG and its agents to desist from such barbaric act that will further deepen the insecurity situation in the country.
5. We therefore, call on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), civil society group and patriots to join forces with the struggle of the Electricity workers to resist the handover of PHCN facilities to the profiteers and the ruling cabals and the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
6. JAF maintains its position that the Power Sector can be efficient if it is democratically run with the involvement of elected representatives of workers and consumers in the management of electricity. This is the only way that public resources invested in sector can translate into qualitative improvement in power generation, adequate supply and affordability.

  DR. DIPO FASHINA                     COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU

 JAF Chairperson                               JAF Secretary