You can’t hold Nigeria to ransom, minister tells PHCN staff

STAFFERS of the Power Holding Comapany of Nigeria
(PHCN) have been told that they cannot hold the
nation to ransom.
Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, who was
speaking against the backdrop of the workers'
agitation against the power sector reforms, warned
that anyone that wanted to cause problems would be
shown the way out.
Nnaji, who spoke at the signing ceremony of
management contractor for Transmission Company
of Nigeria (TCN) in Abuja, on Monday, assured the
workers that the intention of government was to
improve electricity supply in the country, adding that
it had no intention to lay off any staff.
According to him, "the management company is
coming in with only eight people and there is no way
those people would take over the jobs of thousands
of PHCN staff. What they are going to do is that these
eight people will only be taking over eight senior
management positions, while the eight people
currently at the position would act as deputies."
The minister reaffirmed that the entire exercise was
not intended to hurt anyone, but to improve on the
system, so that Nigerians could begin to enjoy
improved electricity supply.
Also speaking, Director-General of Bureau of Public
Enterprise (BPE), Bolanle Onagorowa, said out of the
entire contract sum of $23 million, $2.5 million had
been paid to Manitoba Hydro of Canada, the
management contractor, for which they provided an
advanced payment cover guarantee and the contract
was to run for three years in the first instance.
With the signing of the agreement, Onagoruwa said
the management contractor was expected to
mobilise and resume on Monday, with all the eight
key personnel and the associated support staff.