Irked by the report that some of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, successor companies are yet to begin full implementation of the 50% increase in staff salary which the Federal Government approved for the PHCN staff with effect from last June, the Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, has issued “a second and final warning”to the PHCN Managing Director and chief executives of the 18 firms created out of the power utility to pay the new salary not later than this week.

In a letter to the PHCN executives dated October 27, 2011, the minister stated that the funds for the first three months have been made available.

The Federal Government accepted to pay for the first three months to enable the successor companies to adjust to the new salary structure.

However, there are indications that the government and the trade union of junior workers in the power sector may be heading for a showdown over the implementation of the new pay.

Reliable sources told our correspondent last night that while the minister has insisted that collection of biometric data of every PHCN staff member must precede the payment to ensure accountability and transparency, the leadership of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, wants payment without verification.

“In fact,” a source said, “the union’s leadership has decided to call for a strike if all the 50,000 PHCN workers are not fully paid before the forthcoming Muslim holidays, verification or no verification.”