Staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) yesterday staged a nationwide protest over the handing over of the power company to its new investors.

The protest LEADERSHIP gathered, was to force the federal government to complete the payment of the workers’ entitlements before the transfer of the privatised assets to the new owners.

Speaking at the premises of the PHCN headquarters in Marina Lagos, Chapter Chairman, Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE),Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Comrade Segun Afolohunso,  decried the non-completion of the entitlement of the workers.

According to him, only 25 per cent of the workforces of the power company have been paid.

The workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Union Electricity Employees (NUEE) barricaded the premises of the PHCN offices as early as 6am and disrupted business activities from going on there.

In Illorin, Kwara State, the situation was not different as the angry workers also staged a peaceful protest over the non-payment of their entitlements

According to them, the federal government had failed to regularise the services of the casual and contract staff of the PHCN.

Vice Chairman and Secretary of the NUEE, Mr Aderinto Adekunle and Mr Opeyemi  Adeyeye, respectively complained that the outstanding claims of the workers were yet to be paid.

The NUEE leaders also said that hundreds of casual and contract staff were yet to get their appointment letters that would facilitate the payment of their benefits.

In Edo, the NUEE Secretary, Mr Shaibu Nassir, said that the protest was to register the anger of the workers over the way and manner the federal government handed over the PHCN to new investors without settling their severance packages.