Striking members of the Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Monday shut the offices of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in Umuahia.?
?A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited the PHCN premises at No. 3 Bende Road, Umuahia, reports that following the closure, security personnel mounted guards at the premises.
As a result of the situation, customers, who came to do business at the office, including those wishing to pay their bills, were prevented access to the premises.
Mr Kalu O. Kalu, the NUEE state Chairman, told NAN that the strike was in compliance with a directive by the union’s national headquarters over some unresolved issues with the Federal Government.
“Government said they want to privatise PHCN, we are not against that. All we are saying is that all labour-related matters must be properly resolved before the privatisation,’’ he said.
Kalusaid although the strike was not an indefinite, the union would only allow workers to return to their duty posts when they received directives from the headquarters in Abuja.
“Our leaders will be meeting with the Federal Government officials on Tuesday, ??after the meeting, we will be communicated on the next line of action,’’ he said.
Describing the strike as the last struggle on the pending issues with the government, Kalu said members of the union were willing to go the extra mile to ensure that the issues were resolved.
A customer, Mr Ebuka Linus, who came to pay his electricity bill, appealed to PHCN and government to resolve the issues quickly in the interest of the masses.
He said that frequent strikes by labour unions were not healthy for the growth of the economy. (NAN)