Electricity workers call for review of privatised DisCos
Electricity workers under the auspices of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) yesterday demanded for immediate review of performance of privatised electricity distribution companies.
The workers said the companies were due for the exercise since October 31, 2018 being the 5th year anniversary of their take-over of the power assets.
According to the secretary general of the union, Joe Ajaero, it has become pertinent to draw the attention of the Federal Government and general public to the foundation being laid for the illegal extension of a 5-year Performance review of nine out of 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) in the country (with the exception of Kaduna and Yola DISCOs) allegedly by the Director General - Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex Okoh.
The Director General of BPE had in a press statement dated October 14, 2018 announced December 31, 2019 as the final performance review date for the above mentioned Companies.
“However, this is a negation of the performance agreements which provide for a five-year tenure stipulated in the MOU and Power Privatization Act during which the core investors in the DISCOs are required to fully achieve far-reaching efficiency improvement target.
Ajaero noted that the companies which have been due for final performance review since October 31, 2018 being the 5th year anniversary of their take-over of power assets have continued to illegally operate with flagrant disregard for the Power Privatization Act.
“We are worried that the Core Investors took since over the Privatized Electricity Assets on November 1, 2013, their performances have been abysmal with Nigerians bearing the burden of paying outrageous/estimated bills since they have refused to provide their customers with prepaid meters.
“A good number of them have carried out their operations within the period under review without conditions of service thereby turning the workplace to slave camps where workers are being disengaged without recourse to any law,” the secretary general of the workers’ union noted.