Electricity Union Accuses Nnaji, Minister of Power Of Spending N400 Million On Journalists

Minister of Power, Bart Nnaji-REUTERS Photo
By SaharaReporters, New York

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE)  has called on Professor Barth Nnaji, the Power Minister, to resign immediately.

In a statement signed by Joe Ajaero, its General Secretary, the group cited Professor Nnaji’s “vituperation on the Workers, his fraudulent activities in the Power Sector and unnecessarily putting Nigerians under tension as characterized by his myriads of misinformation.”

They also demanded that he explain, before the end of Friday August 17, his role or activities in relation to several issues, including:  

  •  N395m collected from PHCN allegedly for the Media, for 3 months;
  •  N280m collected from PHCN allegedly for Nigeria Army;
  •   N200m collected from PHCN allegedly for Unknown Project in the Power Ministry;
  •     N86m collected from PHCN allegedly for a bullet -proof vehicle;
  •     N3m collected from PHCN and donated to Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT); and
  •     Employment of 20 people in Enugu Zone of PHCN who are his kith and kins as staff two years after the closing date of casual employment and close of PHCN biometrics exercise.

“He should also explain to Nigerians why we have been collecting Pension and Gratuity from 1972 till June 2012 based on 25 percent, and why his reform tends to short change the workers,” the statement said, adding that the development confirms the fears of workers in the power sector that Nnaji’s reform is aimed at strangulating workers.

 [Full text of the statement]:

PRESS RELEASE
PROF. BARTH NNAJI RESIGN NOW!
It has become imperative at this juncture to call for the immediate Resignation of the Professor Barth Nnaji as Power Minister based on his recent vituperation on the Workers, his fraudulent activities in the Power Sector and unnecessarily putting Nigerians under tension as characterized by his myriads of misinformation.
 
We therefore demand for explanations before the end of Friday August 17, 2012 his role or activities in relation to the following;
 
1.         N395m collected from PHCN allegedly for the Media, for 3 months
2.         N280m collected from PHCN allegedly for Nigeria Army
3.         N200m collected from PHCN allegedly for Unknown Project in the Power Ministry
 
4.         N86m collected from PHCN allegedly for Bullet Proof Vehicle
5.         N3m collected from PHCN and donated to Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT)
 
6.         Employment of 20 people in Enugu Zone of PHCN who are his kith and kins as staff two years after the closing date of casual employment and close of PHCN biometrics exercise.
 
7.         Refusal to pay Regularized Casual Staff their salaries since February 2012
 
8.         Appointment of Geometric staff as Bulk Trader in the Sector thereby giving advantage of load allocation to his company.
 
9.          Dual Role as Chairman Geometrics Power Ltd, Chairman Aba Power Ltd and Minister of Power on pretence of blind thrust that is non existent in Nigeria.
 
10.      Explain to Nigerians why a man who ran Geometric to bankruptcy and is being rescued by Government owned AMCON should continue to run the affairs of the Power Sector.
 
Based on the foregoing, the Power Minister should explain why we should continue to have anything to do with him before the expiration of date. He should also explain to Nigerians why we have been collecting Pension and Gratuity from 1972 till June 2012 based on 25 percent, and why his reform tends to short change the workers. This confirms fears of workers in the Sector that Nnajis reform is aimed at strangulating workers.

JOE AJAERO
General Secretary
 

Comments
77 comment(s)
Post a comment

Think twice

U just acted like a fool u are,phcn workers are not against d privatization policy,all they ask 4 is their benefit,guess u sceard that fellow next door will b beter off u.dont u no God has programmed evry mankind journey?so dont say wat will bring his wrath on u

phcn

Am sure u are one of the. Workers prof Nnaji smuggled into. PHCN.nobody is saying the Fed Govt should not reform all this poeple want is to be given what belongs to them rightfully. If your father was amongst them am sureu won't be playing dumb or acting stupid

Stop The Blackmail

If PHCN has been doing well, the Governmemt wont evn think of selling you.You cant stop the transformation in Nigeria. Nitel tried to do the same but Nigreians are happy that the government did not listen to them.Nigeria has spent more money than Ghana in electricity generation and distribution but can you compare the two countries in terms of electricity to their people. Stop the Blackmail just negotiate better package for your staff with the government so tha the country will forge ahead with this new power policy

STOP DISTURBING PROF. BARTH. NNAJI

Why do you people (NEPA Staff Union) try to compromise this Liberation Effort being made by Prof. Barth. Nnaji? Evil People! 'Your time is off; our time now'. Don't try any further. Otherwise, what happened to Pharoah of Egypt about the People of Israel will befall you. God has answered our prayers concerning electricity and we are grateful to Him. Halleluya!!!

IN SUPPORT OF BART NNAJI

Folks, we must support the Minister to effect the neccessary reforms that will lead to permanent delivery of power in Nigeria. He is on the right track and we must fight with him to ensure that this perennial, man-made power problems are solved forever. All these allegations against the Minister are normal when changes are being introduced in any corrupt ministry or entity. It is part of a calculated defamation and blackmailing of the Minister but it is not going to work this time. Reform must proceed at all costs.

PHCN workers and NLC are...

If not for moderation in use of this language called English I sincerely would have called a f*u*k*n idiot for ur comments. Well it is free country now. So continue to mouth ur nuancies while the workers fight and win their entitlements. Thank NLC for the supply you think you have now anyway. The gas just being released for power stations was kept where before now pri**k!

Gorilla

Your entire families to the fourth generation will die in poverty. Animal, I wish I can lay my hands on you. Gorilla

BE CAREFUL!

Some of you that ar so negative in your comments concerning PHCN challenges should pls be very careful in what you say. If you were in their shoes, I know you will not sound like this. They are not against privatization. All they say is 'give us our due entitlements'. That's all! How can you work for 30-35 years & retire/be sacked empty handed or without your due right. If u think it is right, then wish yourself that. Always remember that what goes around, comes around, so watch your comments. If you don't have anything reasonable/objective to say, why don't you keep quiet rather than invoking curse on yourself/family via ur words. Note that they are not against NIGERIAN PRIVATIZATION rather proper settlement. God bless U all!

Re

why do Ibo people have to tribalie and trivialize issues???????
What has Yoroba got to do with these issues or even Hausa Fulani..?

FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLS

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), are not only fools but thieves, armed robbers and goats to have defame Power Minister.

Devil will punish all of you. How can you people decided to fight the man who has restored light. For the first time in 50 years light has been steady in the last two months and you are not happy.

You people and your Generator conspirators and China generator manufacturing companies should start looking for some other thing to do as for Good-luck and NNAJI, no-going back on power sector revolution.You have had enough stealing and ineptitude. When GOD said 'let there be light and there was light', you people think that He was joking. We cant continue living in darkness no matter your illiterate character assassination. M-O-N-K-E-Y-S!

There is no stopping the

There is no stopping the reforms in the power sector...`DELTA QUEEN`is an hausa/fulani element trying to sow the seed of discord among our southern nigerian brethrens...This same ploy was used to organise the anti biafran coalition....It will no longer work,as people have become wiser and more educated...The choice between prof. nnaji and the thugs at phcn is like the choice between light and darkness...The prof holds a lot promise for the amelioration of our power situation..It is hoped that nigerians will stand with this man in his battle against those holding us to ramsome...

THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH HAVING UNION

THEY ARE BUNCH OF LAZY WORKERS LOOKING FOR FREEBIES. THE ELECTRICITY IS NOW STABLE ACCROS THE COUNTRY, BUT THESE LAZIES ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DESTABILIZE IT ONCE AGAIN. THE POWER MINISTER SHOULD PROCEED IN FIRING THEM IF THEY TRY TO PULL ANY CRAP . BUNCH OF ENEMEY OF PROGRESS .

What are we saying.

the PHCN that have kept this country in darkness for dacades,i thought what they should is to bury their head in shame and live that place honourably
than making unnessecarly noise.Do u know that this particular organisation is the most corrupt in the whole of all the ministries in Nigeria,They inneffiecent. Just for instance do u know that in my area around Eliozu in port harcourt that a jeep had an accident and fell electric pole for the past two weeks now this people cannot replace it and restore light in that area. infact all of the are corrupt.We can not talk about there billing masses for darknes wicked phcn staff go go go go go we dont want u again.

You are a novice, since phcn

You are a novice, since phcn embark on strike power has improved who are the people that are operating the light, your staffs abi you need to be educated and you dont just post things about matters you dont know about.

Nnaji is my brother so I must

Nnaji is my brother so I must support him to reap our resources. That is what seems to be happneing here! The man is a failure. A thief hired by another thief Jonathan to destroy Nigeria

Ajaero and his PHCN thief

Ajaero and his PHCN thief cann't full us,they should all be sacked,power have improved since they went on strike so i suggest the strike remains.

re: emissaries of fraud

NUEE are not bunch of idiots. Please ask the Power Minister to answer those questions put before him first and foremost. This is very important to Nigerians. Or did you benefit from the loot. You are the idiot.

Sahara is losing it

They have attacked Dezieni Allison Madueke, they have attacked Okupe, Abati, Maku and anyone the opposition has pointed fingers at, but it is not stopping this administration, wait till the refineries are built, wait till those empowered by the Youwin program start to employ others, wait till the west African coast road is complete, Lagos Ibadan is next to follow with a railway plan.

Wait the the plans of this administration start to take place, I use to see adverts all around the Sahara Reporters page, now it is just close up and range rover, tomorrow they will hawk their news in the Ozumba hold up while the nation is moving forward...

Sahara is losing it

Comments here shows that Sahara is losing it, though there are some pockets of idiocy to keep the GEJ administration in check, and some primordial ethnic sentiments, it shows that Nigerians are beginning to appreciate the effort of this administration.

The in thing is now to attack personalities like a respectable Bart Nnaji who has made a tremendous reform in PHCN so much that customer care called me when I lodged a complain on the internet.

PHNC MAY BE RIGHT ON THE MONEY BARTH NNAJI COLLECTED

Prof.Barth Nnaji ahve questions to answer,in less than a year as the minister of power he have just himself a giagantic mansion in mary slessor stret Asokoro,that building is nothing less than #900.000.000,if doutb it just enter the street and ask of the minister of powers house in that street you will be conviced that he actually colled those amout phcn alleging.
Engr.edeh.

Electricity only improved for

Electricity only improved for 1 week and suddenly disappeared and went back to the usual. Berth Nnaji needs to xplain or resign. I stay in sabon gari, kano. Come and confirm, PHCN manager collects 2million naira bribe from residents and gives them 24hr ellectricity while those who did not pay bribe will not see the electricity for many days. Govt doesnt even monitor the way power is distributed, PHCN managers are just making money from people, if u dont pay bribe, u wont get light. Berth Nnaji is running an irresponsible power house of corruption! If he's not, let him open up hotline complaint channels printed on every phcn bill so every1 can see and access, so that people will expose those corrupt PHCN managers collecting bribe to give light, or maybe he's the one sending them to collect bribe and bring to him through back door like police does. This govt is irresponsible, period! Every1 does what they like, unchecked, its free for all. GEJ wake up!

PHCN workers union and NLC are enemies of Nigeria &stable power

Since govt began reforms in the power sector PHCN workers have asked for everything they can think of. First it was monetisation arrears, which this govt paid. Next it was 150% salary increase, which this govt granted them 50% or so increase. Then they asked for regularisation of electricity casual workers which this govt granted. Now it is for 25% retirement benefits contrary to 15% provided by the law. None of these requests were made when it was BUSINESS AT USUAL at PHCN. For example what were NLC and PHCN workers union thinking that the allowed the monetisation benefits of their members to pile up since 2004 so much so that this current govt had to pay almost N80billion arrears of monetisation? All these issues point to the fact that these PHCN workers and NLC are ENEMIES of Nigeria and enemies of stable power supply. Shame!!

This is the height of insensitivity and ignorance

I am not a PHCN staff. I have been abusing them more than all these till I decided to dig into the matter. The reason for darkness in Nigeria is that we are not generating much. They gave people licenses to generate power but none including Bath Nnaji has been able to generate anything till date. Our corrupt Nigerian presidents should be held responsible because they have been using this power issue to be collecting money from everywhere and to enrich themselves and children's children, endangering the lives of the workers who have been using outdated and risky machines to work.
Bath Nnaji knows the problem is with generating power.
As for tariffs, it's not PHCN staff that sets Tariff. As for the shameless marketers that come to the field to collect N500 and N1000 from people who do not pay bills, it is normal with EVIL servants ( sorry civil servants). It is a pathetic nation.

Araero you are a crook

We are tired of technological stagnation caused by corrupt PHCN staff who connive with cheap generator companies to sink Nigeria to perpetual power oblivion. Thank God that Nigerians can now distinguish between blackmails and realities.

We need a change in this country. We would rather pay more and have steady power in a competitive market than pay slightly less to remain in darkness. Steady power answers questions of unemployment, poor healt care services,and economic backwardness.

PLEASE LEAVE NNAJI TO WORK stop instigating some less informed PHCN staff and largely illiterate society against this man!

Minister Must Respond, PHCN Staff Must Go

The Minister must respond to all these allegations. Even though if they were true, we know that nothing will happened to him in Nigeria. Remeber Dimeji Bankole and Ibori.

Nigerians have had enough of PHCN staff problem. The only names we have not called them are the once not in the dictionary. They Must go.
The new buyers and Phcn staffs are allieds. They know themselves. They have held sway in the organisation at one time or the order.
Once the company is privatised, many of them will be booted and thrown out of the new company. What happened to Nitel and Nigeria railway staffs?
Sahara Reporters should forget about the Power Sector. We are tired of them and we can't wait to see the DEATH OF PHCN. QED.

GO TO HELL JOE AJAERO & CO

We are tired of technological stagnation caused by corrupt PHCN staff who connive with cheap generator companies to sink Nigeria to perpetual power oblivion. Thank God that Nigerians can now distinguish between blackmails and realities.

We need a change in this country. We would rather pay more and have steady power in a competitive market than pay slightly less to remain in darkness. Steady power answers questions of unemployment, poor healt care services,and economic backwardness.

PLEASE LEAVE NNAJI TO WORK stop instigating some less informed PHCN staff and largely illiterate society against this man!

NEPA

These PHCN workers are a joke. Which sector is more corrupt than even the Nigeria Police? You guessed it: power, thanks to the lazy drones there who call themselves workers and whose activities have largely been responsible for the death of many industries and commercial establishments. It is only in Nigeria that power workers will just sit in their offices and generate fictional bills called estimates which they impose on hapless consumers. Instead of these workers to improve themselves. In order to fit into the increased competition that is being introduced into the sector they are busy making useless trouble. This was how Nitel staffers tried to hold the nation to ransom. Where are they today and where is Nitel today?

money struggle

Whenever two powerful groups are fighting in Nigeria, money is always at the centre. Mr Ajaero has been quite active since Nnaji became a minister. It appears that the changes Nnaji is bringing to the system is removing food from Ajaero's table. Ajaero has been feeding fat on the old system that didn't benefit Nigerians in any way. If removing food from Ajaero's overflowing table will bring light to Nigeria, so let it be. There should be an independent probe of the PHCN staff pension scheme. I also wonder why FG allowed the unions to run such an "illegal" scheme since 2005.

Prof. Nnaji yo be thief

Haa Haa! How come you tell Nigerians that the entire PHCN assets for generation cost only 2 billion. Prof ole nie, you be thief. You want to sell the place to your cronies abi? God go judge you wickedly.
PHCN staff una see una life? Una own don catch up with una, ti yin ti baa yin. When we say make una treat people well una dey act like small god, you own don come, una no go get relief o, by the authority if God, all of you at Phcn are monsters. I sincerely wish Prof Nnaji will completely destroy you people and be too get judgement of God if truly he wants to sbortchange Nigerians with this move.

phcn have refused to see

phcn have refused to see nigeria move. Today in nigeria people can boast of having steady light. I believe this is the handiwork of all those corrupt ogas he sAcked.how can phcn cow fg into removing soldiers from nepa installations.nlc and nuee have lost focus and should be ignored.phcn staff will vandalise all nepa installations once you remove the soldiers.phcn staff are even more corrupt than oil subsidy people.I heard that nnaji has blocked all avenues of siphoning money and that is why they want to die.most of nigerians can't remember the last time they bribed nepa staff because things are getting better.gej and nnaji don't give into their demand except you want to be finished.yeye electricity workers

Post a comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Comments are limited to a maximum of 1000 characters.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <p> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.

More information about formatting options

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.