Power sector strike: Attending to workforce demands for sectoral productivity

That Nigeria is in labour crisis cannot be justifiably disputed. The resonating vibes of recurrent industrial actions are one among other reflections, which particularly for the public sector have been on tolls of lamentable records. The direct and indirect expressions of grief by the public sector workforce have been a deformity which the government may not seem to be taking very seriously, though the debilitating impacts of same bear at large costly troubles for the Country in the short and long run.

That the disposition of the Government to loud grievances apparently reflects oblivious posture to the grip of the impacts of a demoralised workforce, is a threat to the nation’s well being and productivity at large. More disturbing has been the consideration of the incidence of strikes in critical sectors which are vessels at the heart of the fabrics of the society – the socio-economic and political among others. Such critical sectors as education and health have been ridden with inconsistencies of industrial actions over long overdue demands which the government having not acted reasonably responsive enough to address, have formed pots of grievances  which upon protest have continued to record strikes incessantly.

Another critical sector at the heart of the economy, which recently have been entering into its elastic order of strike-evoking grievances, is the power sector. Recently, industrial actions from these workers have seen the Country been left in blackout. Again the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Tuesday, 06 September, 2022, said they were ready to embark on another nationwide strike. The Vice President of the Union, (East) Comrade Engr. Joe Oforka, alongside other executives including the zonal Secretary of the Union in the South East/South South States, Comrade Ugboaja Joseph, alleged that the Federal government after almost nine years has refused to pay entitlements of some of the workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

Also, forming part of their grievances was that the two weeks given to the Federal government to implement the 2019 agreement had elapsed. “It is an undeniable truth that the Power Sector privatization has not added value to the lives of ordinary Nigerians. The entire exercise which could be described as a charade has not brought any meaningful impact/improvement for the people.The union further says that almost nine years of Power privatization, entitlements of some of the workers of the defunct PHCN have not been paid as they suffer untold hardship; while some have been sent to their early graves due to frustration and lack of fund to attend to health challenges after being forced out of Service under the guise of Privatization.

“Similarly, the precarious work conditions have imposed hardship on existing employees in the Sector as the Generation (GenCos) Companies have refused to sign Conditions of Service guiding Employer/Employee relations, Lack of workplace democracy, poor remuneration and others.

“Electricity tariff has continued to rise without making prepaid meters available to Nigerians despite Federal Government’s directive to the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). We are ready to the down tool should FG fail to implement the 2019 agreement with the Union on the non-payment of exit entitlements to ex-PHCN workers. Nigerians should also be informed that the two weeks window that we have given to the FG has lapsed. The Federal Government of Nigeria should be held responsible should the Union be forced to embark on another Nationwide strike,” they said.

It wouId be recalled that August 17, 2022, workers of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had in their industrial action, shutdown the electricity national grid causing blackouts across the Country. The strike by the workers under the aegis of NUEE was triggered by the directive of the TCN Board that all Principal Managers who are in acting capacity must undergo promotion interviews. A direct  impact of the strike was the record of zero generation, thus leading to nationwide blackout.

The protesting workers had in their demonstration blocked the entrance to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) headquarters building in Abuja. The building accommodates the Federal Ministry of Power where the Minister of Power and the Minister of State, Power have their offices. Their action locked out staff of the Ministry as well as both ministers and their aides.

NUEE General Secretary, Joe Ajaero had in the letter calling out the workers for strike said the directive for the promotion interview was in contravention of the workers’ condition of service and career progression path. According to him, it was unilaterally done without the relevant stakeholders.

NUEE also decried the “stigmatisation of staff from the office of the Head Service of the Federation from working in other areas in the power sector. Refusal of the Market Operator to fund the payment of entitlement of ex-PHCN staff as agreed in December 2019 agreement after an industrial action by the union.” The strike action went on as planned, despite the intervention of the Minister of State Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba who had appealed for a two weeks grace to allow the government address the issues raised by the workers. The workers Union had vowed to continue withdrawal of service as their major tool of pressing their demands until they are met.

It is now evident that invariably all critical sectors of the Nigerian socio-economic fabrics are ridden with defective compositions which have formed grievances for their workforce.  Expressing itself partly in form of industrial actions, a demoralised workforce is evidently a case of labour crisis, particularly in a country where the government forms the highest employer of labour. The compounding implications, no doubt, pose threats to productivity and development. Where such critical sector as education, health, and more disturbing, power which stands at the heartbeat of the economy, are engulfed with deep seated grievances, it is worrisome that the Country might be tending towards becoming a shadow of herself, if the gear is not turned for drastic remodelling of the prevailing disposition of the government.

The need to reorganise efforts with responsive approach to addressing the plethora of issues forming the grounds for grievances in the space of critical public sector framework is pertinent. Constituting an interministerial committee as a first step to lay the structure for a path to addressing the factors constituting the seat of grievances across board is pertinent. Subjecting the peculiar concerns of each sector to critical perusal is pertinent, while subsuming the response strategies to meet the demands in a system that blends the pressing needs of each sector through  holistic approach to the identified problems.

It is noteworthy that the Country cannot be said to be healthy, neither can it be said that she is moving towards development, where the larger part of the workforce are demoralised and discontented. A rebounding of the workforce of the public sector is pertinent to set the course of growth on the running path of upward reality. Such must require conscious and deliberate efforts springing forth an architecture of reforming attributes to meet pressing demands for astute reinvigoration.