About six former staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in Kwara State, disengaged from service last October, have died while waiting their retirement savings allowance (RSA).

This was disclosed by their association, National Union of Electric Employees (NUEE), which, on Monday, joined its national leadership in calling on the Federal Government to ensure that the allowance is paid without further delay to those who are yet to receive theirs.

The state Chairman of the union, Bamidele Okogbe, while informing his members of preparedness of the their national leadership to fight the matter to the end, alleged that the Federal Government was wrong on its claim on the payment of the allowance.

Meanwhile, NUEE, Bauchi State chapter, has staged a rally to condemn what it described as human and union rights abuse in the power sector.

Addressing union members and labour leaders at a rally held at the premises of the former PHCN office along Ahmadu Bello way, Bauchi on Monday, the state chairman of NUEE, Comrade Mujahid Muhammed, said over 50 per cent of their members have been sacked by the management of the company.

Mujahid said the purpose of the peaceful rally was to tell the world that over 10,000 workers in the power sector have not been paid their severance entitlement, while over 25,000 workers have not received their pension components.

In Ibadan, disengaged Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) workers staged a rally and threatened to shut down electricity supply if their demands were not met after the expiration of 14-day ultimatum issued on Monday.

This was contained in a letter addressed to the Minister of Power, and signed by Mansur Musa and Joe Ajaero, President and General Secretary, copies of which were made available to journalists in Ibadan on Monday during a peaceful protest to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

Under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), the workers lamented what they called ‘flagrant abuse of human Trade Union rights’, saying, “despite repeated assurances by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces as well as the Minister of Power that there would be no hand-over until the resolution of all labour issues, it is sad to realise that two months after the hand over, these issues have remained unresolved.

“From the look of things, it appears that the reform process is aimed at inflicting pains on workers and Nigerian people as government has earmarked about 50 per cent of the workforce in Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), a subsector still under government control for disengagement”, the workers stated.