Power union, national body disagree over unremitted N25m dues ….union assures power supply amidst COVID-19 pandemic

The Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) branch of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the National body have disagreed over the branch’s claim that the latter has been acting illegally for failure to remit an outstanding N25 million check-off dues to the branch members.

Specifically, the President, TCN branch of SSAEAC, Comrade Abidemi Dairo, in a statement, accused the SSAEAC President General, Engr. Chris Okonkwo, of withholding the branch’s check-off dues worth over N25 million for over 43 months.

Dairo also blamed Okonkwo for gross violations of trade dispute Act and accused him of financial recklessness.

The SSAEAC TCN Branch also lauded the Management of TCN for being proactive over the pandemic Covid -19, for ensuring the protection of staff while officers on essential duty are working to sustain power supply to Nigerians.

The SSAEAC TCN Branch also denied having labour issues with the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE). Dairo in the statement said both unions at TCN had resisted attempted disruption of the company’s operation by Okonkwo on 13th May 2019, and ever since he has been plotting the downfall of TCN.

He alleged: “SSAEAC AND NUEE have good working condition under the present management of TCN and would not allow any disruption.

“Okonkwo having failed to secure the support of the National Union of Electricity Employees at pulling down TCN goes about castigating and blackmailing them.

“Okonkwo has refused to pay the check-off dues of the TCN branch of SSAEAC and also filed a suit against the TCN Branch in a suit no NICN/ ABJ/111/2019, the case was struck out in Favour of TCN Branch, making it the fourth case that was filed and lost by Okonkwo,” the TCN branch President alleged.

Dairo also alleged that Okonkwo failed to respect the judgment of the same court he patronized.

However, when contacted, Okonkwo denied owing the TCN Branch any N25m dues, saying the branch has been expelled from the body.

“It is actually falsehood and we have written on this. They were expelled since April 2019 at our national delegate conference because the management of TCN is using them. TCN earlier stopped remitting our dues but the Minister of Labour and Employment forced them to start and they are still owing us N29m.

“If their master is owing us money and they are saying the national body owes them money, does that make sense?” Okonkwo clarified.