By Victor AHIUMA-YOUNG

Electricity workers have suggested that instead of the outright sale of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, government should consider the adoption of public private partnership model that will guaranty the reform of the sector.

Operating under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, the workers also urged the National Assembly to critically review the 2005 Power Sector Reform Act and re-jig the Road Map such that it is Nigerian oriented and eliminate the bitter pills from the IMF/World Bank prescriptions which failed countries like Brazil.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its 9th National Delegates Conference in Benin City, Edo State, the union argued that the 2005 Power Sector Reform Act and the Power Road Map are designed and operated by the elite to stripe PHCN assets.

In view of the failures of other privatised parastatals like Ajaokuta Steel Company, NAFCON, Nigeria Airways and Daily Times fail, as well as the balkanisation of NITEL, which has no core investor, NUEE therefore, demanded an immediate halt on the planned privatisation of PHCN.

The communiqué signed by the President and General Secretary of NUEE, comrades Mansur Musa and Joe Ajaero, respectively, said the conference recommended for the establishment of an Electric Power Trust Fund (EPTF) to be managed by selfless Nigerians with integrity and track record of proven/genuine interest to develop Nigeria.

According to communiqué “This EPTF should be charged with the responsibility to work with PHCN on Power development especially the Power Development Plan of 1995-2005 that was aborted by successive regimes. The plan to build hydro power stations at Mambila (4000MW), Zungeru (900MW), Ikom (500MW), and Coal Power Station at Enugu (500MW).

“In addition to the 750KV transmission super grid that would ensure adequate evacuation of power to the ultimate end users. Government should use Nigerian resources, ingenuity and know-how to design, plan, build and run her power system. The conference in-session therefore admonish Mr. President to “fix his house don’t sell it”. Government should adopt the option of public private partnership model that would guaranty the reform of the sector without the sale of PHCN installations.

“Government should have the political will to expose and prosecute political officers, both past and present indicted in the corruption scam in the sector and sundry agencies. The Elumelu’s Committee report and the present revelation by the Senate on the evil/corruption called privatisation is a pointer to this resolution.

“The conference in-session concludes that BPE has lost focus and therefore, call on government to either abolish or re-organise and refocus the agency with the appointment of patriotic Nigerians that has track records of proven interest to build the Nigerian state and economy and not looters. Nigeria must survive. The madness to wind down PHCN Corporate Headquarters should be halted as Labour/Government negotiation is yet to be concluded with implementable agreements.”

It added that “the use of military/para-military and graft agencies (EFCC) to harass and intimidate labour officers in PHCN is undemocratic and barbaric it should be stopped forthwith. The conference in-session strongly condemns the attempt to remove fuel subsidy because it will further impoverish the masses of this country and therefore join other progressive Nigerians and the Civil Society Group to vehemently resist the removal.”