TCN workers shun TUC as picketing flops nationwide

Workers of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Abuja and across the states continued their work unhindered on Monday after the Trade Union Congress (TUC) failed to lock them out.

The premises, called Power House, has TCN headquarters and the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (Power Sector).

Addressing the press at the headquarters, TCN Branch President of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), Comrade Abidemi Dairo, said the TUC protest was sponsored by the National President of SSAEAC, Chris Okonkwo, having lost the support of TCN staff after he mismanaged their N500m superannuation fund and N18m monthly subscriptions from members for two years, which the EFCC was investigating.

He said, “This is TCN, we are here to work. Our constitution Rule 32, No. 12 says one of our primary aims is to maintain a harmonious working relationship with the organisation where we work.

“Over N500m of our superannuation fund was paid and he embezzled it. He pays himself N600,000 monthly for security from the fund. We have over N18m with him as our checkup due. We requested for our checkup dues and this is where we are.”

Then TCN workers who were unanimous against the calls by TUC to join the protest said the present TCN management paid salaries on 20th of every month, conducted promotion in due time and had seamless relationship with the in-house union.

“TCN that used be one of the weakest links in the electricity power ring has become one of the strongest. We have to consolidate this effort because of the masses and because of our children yet unborn, and some say he wants to destroy the peace of TCN,” Dairo noted.

Okonkwo who is a general manager with TCN, briefly came to the scene confirming that he asked for the intervention of TUC to resolve the many labour issues with TCN.

President of TUC, Mr. Boboi Bala Kaigama, at the scene, listed some of the issues to include the withdrawal of queries issued to some TCN senior staff, review of promotions, transfers and sanctions. They want TCN to account for the 735 recovered containers which were abandoned at the ports for over 10 years but recovered by the present management.

Kaigama said, “They need to seat with us in a roundtable and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has done that over and over but the management of TCN refused to attend. Outside that, we will continue to picket this place.”