The Federal Government has commenced the payment of the severance packages of employees of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria in preparation for the conclusion of the privatisation of the power sector.

Our correspondent gathered on Tuesday that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had commenced paying off some workers of the power firm.

It was also learnt that some workers of the power generating companies, which were carved out of the PHCN, had received alerts from their banks that their entitlements had been paid.

The payment, our correspondent gathered, would be done in batches.

When contacted, the General Secretary, Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, Mr. Abiodun Ogunsegha, said although the Federal Government had not officially told the union leaders that it had commenced payment, some employees in the sector had started receiving bank alerts.

According to him, the government is supposed to brief officials of the unions once it commences payment, stressing that the technical committee set up by the workers and the government has not officially announced the commencement of payment.

Ogunsegha said, “Workers in some PHCN outfits have said that they have started receiving alerts, but I cannot confirm that for now. This is because we have yet to meet with the Ministry of Power on this issue.

“The technical committee set up to look into the issue of payment has not been briefed by the government on whether it (government) has started making payment. So, I cannot categorically tell you that payment has started and the amount that has been paid despite claims by some workers that they have started receiving bank alerts.”

The Federal Government said the workers of the PHCN would start receiving the pay cheques for their severance benefits from last week.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said this at a power sector development forum organised by his ministry in conjunction with a German power firm, Siemens, in Abuja.

“There has been a directive for the payment of the PHCN workers, which may commence this week,” he had said.

Nebo had also said that a proper audit of the payment processes, which delayed the final disbursement of funds to the workers, had been concluded. READ MORE: http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/severance-package-fg-begins-payment-of-phcn-workers/

No be small money o!!!

This is indeed a good news to many. Whether has govt informed you first or not as far as your union members have confirmed it is a good news. Kudos to all the parties involve. God bless us all.

Good move by the FG, they should pay them and let them go jare.

Now this marks the successful conclusion of the privitization process..so hopefully by September the new owners will formally take over PHCN companies.

.A revolution is been unveiled in the power sector and this gona be bigger than what happened in the telecoms sector..

Resolving labour issues is not a small feat..kudos to govt on this

@mods shouldn't this be on the frontpage??

This indeed Is a great news, atleast this is a big Credit to the current administration.

I congratulate all Nigerians on this great achievement of the GEJ administration....slowly but surely, the power situation in my country will never be the same

PLEASE,

PHCN workers should be paid off and the new companies take over quickly. They are already sabotaging the new companies. The more this severance pay is delayed, the harder it will be for the new companies to bring about the desired change.

Oya, kidnappers & armed robbers work don start.

I sincerely advise those NEPA guys to take a loooong vacation.

This is hopefully the end of another big government failure, involving economic activites left to the private sector.. The same breeds that destroyed Nigeria airways, Nitel,Nigeria shipping line and Nepa are finally heading for the exit door. Nepa has also 45,000 workers generating less than 1700MW, yet some people here want government to build more businesses for them and their families to send to our economic graveyards. Go and collect your severance packages and may God pay you people back, in the same coin as you handled your jobs with Nepa/Phcn.

I can't wait to see the back of these criminals.
They should just pack their loads and go.

Fresh Air noni