TCN Staff Protest Over Non Payment of Severance Fees

Early this morning, Staff of The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), came out en masse to protest over non payment of their severance benefits and other entitlements. They were joined by members of the National Union of Electricity Employees.

The TCN building, , formerly called Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Headquarters, located at Zambezi Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja was shut down while the protest was going on. Staff, visitors, Corpers and IT students were not allowed in.

According to the speaker, National Union of Electricity Employees, the Nigerian Government through the office of the Bureau of Public Enterprise(BPE) has failed in its duty to pay the entitlements of staff of PHCN, both the ones that were laid off and those retained. It should be recalled that the Power Holding Company of Nigeria was privatised and several Generation Companies(Gencos) and Distribution Companies(Discos) were established. During this transformation, Some staff of PHCN were laid off. And those retained took over as The Transmission Company of Nigeria which was set up to oversee the work of both the Gencos and the Discos.

And ever since this transition, the staff benefits, salaries and severance packages which are their entitlements have not been paid to them. Reports reaching yours truly says that a number of people have died due to this. A staff of TCN (name withheld) had this to say "Since 2013, we have been suffering. No money to take care of our responsibilities. We have served and done our duty, for government to pay us is a problem. Some people have died because there was no money to treat them. If these entitlements have been paid, then many would still be alive today. How can someone work for several years and not be paid? It is unfair".

After a while, the protesters entered vehicles organised for them and headed straight to the Bureau of Public Enterprise( BPE) to continue their protest. There, they gathered at the gate singing and chanting songs of solidarity, voicing out their frustrations while holding up cardboard papers with write ups and banners.

The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Enterprise, Benjamin Ezra Dikki was no where to be found. Although staff of the BPE were seen around the building, no one was willing to offer information on the whereabouts of the CEO. The protest is still on at the time of this report.