ECHOING mischief, the Federal Ministry of Power has dissociated itself from the reports in a national newspaper (not The Guardian) that it is planning to lay off 20,000 electricity workers.
Power Minister, Prof. Chinedu Nebo said in a statement in Abuja Monday that at no point did government issue a directive asking the successor companies to sack workers.
He said: “The attention of the Minister of Power Prof. Chinedu Nebo has been drawn to a media publication alleging that the Federal Government has issued directives for the sacking of 20,000 workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), ahead of take-over by successful bidders of its assets.
“Contrary to the said report, neither the Federal Ministry of Power nor the Bureau for Public Enterprises, (BPE) ever issued any directive to Chief Executive Officers of PHCN successor companies to retrench workers before payment of their severance package.”
The minister said there was no such thing as nocturnal meetings between the Federal Government and all chief executive officers in PHCN where the decision to sack the workers was purportedly taken.
Special Assistant, Media and Communications to the Minister, Kande Daniel, stressed that the minister won’t be discouraged by the allegation, describing it as an indication of mischief “on the part of those who appear to be bent on creating disharmony between government and electricity workers, and attempting to derail the now moving train of the reforms.”
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