Stop exploiting Nigerians, electricity workers tell stakeholders

By Marie-Therese Nanlong Jos—National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, weekend urged stakeholders in the Power Sector especially companies who benefited from the privatization process, to stop exploiting Nigerians in their desperate drive to maximise profit. File photo: Blackout in the house The Union urged the electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, to desist from estimated billings of customers without commiserate services, but rather seek better ways of meeting customers’ consumption. The Union’s Secretary-General, Joe Ajaero spoke in Jos, Plateau State, when the National Executive of the Union paid a visit to privately-owned Power distribution company, Nigerian Electricity Supply Corporation Nigeria Limited, NESCO. Ajaero called on DISCOS to take a cue from the NESCO model where customers got value for their money and the management maintained a healthy industrial relations with its staff despite the difficulty in the generation and distribution of power. He said, “There is no justification that there is no efficiency but there has been a third tariff increment, NESCO has been a private company from inception yet the Management always negotiate with staff and implement what has been agreed without coercion. Some people should not hijack what belongs to everyone and say you are in private practice, they should come and learn the NESCO model and apply same so they can efficiently meet customers’ needs and end the era of serving their customers estimated billing without services rendered.” Responding, the Managing Director of NESCO, Mr. Christopher de-Krestser who showed appreciation for the visit being the first official from NUEE to the company, disclosed that the company had been in business since 1922 and would continue to provide quality services to its customers. He noted that the state Government and the Union members in the company had been supportive in making the company to record success stories and urged the NUEE members to continue giving their best to lift the company to a greater height.