STATEMENT ISSUED BY PHCN STAFF FORUM, KADUNA ON THE HIJACK OF FORMS MEANT FOR SHORT PAYMENT OF THE SEVERANCE BENEFIT OF EX--PHCN STAFF BY UNION OFFICIALS

Dear Comrades, the attention of PHCN STAFF FORUM, Kaduna has been drawn to the news making the rounds that some self-acclaimed, relevance-seeking leaders of some unions in the power sector have roguishly hijacked the process in an attempt to assert leadership role on the issuance of forms meant for capturing staff who were short-paid at the time of Severance. When the forms were eventually handed over to them, they designed an addition to perfect their sinister motives. It was reliably gathered that these so called union leaders were the ones who caused the stoppage of the issuance of the forms which led to the crisis in Abuja in the first place.

The addition of the second form calls for urgent interrogation. We have it on good authority that these people have a different agenda from ours. These elements have something up their sleeves. If these people knew what leadership entails and had lived up to their responsibilities, these forms would have been sent ab-initio to every zones for our people to fill instead of allowing us to take risk, waste time, energy and resources only for some irrelevant group to come up with claim of direction and leadership. Did any union leaders inform anybody throughout the zones via a circular, phone call or SMS about this verification? Where were they three years ago when in their very kporo kporo eyes an injustice of this magnitude was perpetrated against our people?

Comrades, the requiem for the extinction of unions in the pre-privatised power sector was solemnly celebrated at the hand-over of Kaduna zone which was the last company to be sold to the new owners in December, 2014. You do not put new wine in old bottle. They should find a new name in the post-privatised power sector and open a fresh page of unionism if they choose with the new companies. It is laughable for the union to shamelessly arrogate unto themselves now the leadership role of a people who are no longer employees of the sector under review or impose membership on people who the union deserted even when they were in service. The membership of over 50,000 disengaged staff of PHCN throughout Nigeria to any union ceased between 2013 -2014 except for those qualified for pension. These people have put their all to the service of Nigeria and are eminently qualified to join the NPU.
After a cursory look at the Severance Advice issued by BPE, one has every cause to query it. It must be stated clearly here that the issue of short payment generally affected all thus the form issued is no longer for ENUMERATORS only. Every ex-staff of PHCN is by this medium enjoined to check his or her Severance Advice issued by BPE and cross check if the year of computation corresponds with his or her first year of employment. Within the bio-data area, one should also check if the year of employment was captured accordingly. Therefore, if your year of employment was 1980, 1990, 2001 as the case may be and your computation starts from 2007, you deserve an answer as to why the computation did not start from the year you are employed.

Dear Comrades, we wish to state categorically clear that, “the days of   deception are over. The empire of the unions built on sinking sand is fast collapsing before the very eyes of those who like Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar challenged the omnipotence of God. We have left Egypt, now we abode in Hephzibah. This is a new dawn, this is time of and for change and we can on our own stand and fight for our rights.” The Forum wishes to assure all ex-staff that no stone will be left unturned this time around as nobody; nobody will be left out in this new process. Never again will some people posing as leaders deceive us. We have taken our destinies in our hands and the bull by the horns. Our hands are placed on the plough and there is no going back. We are confident of victory at last. The forum is keenly watching and monitoring events closely. Members who were not able to go to Abuja but have got forms from these people in various zones are urged to COMFORTABLY fill them accordingly but be on red alert too as to the rationale behind the second one. The forum is not resting on its oars to ensure that everybody who was short paid gets his balance. The tortoise was asked: how many times would you be deceived before you learn? We shall continue to keep you posted. Aluta Continua!