The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has claimed that the frequent strike action by workers in the electricity supply industry has resulted in the loss of about N7.734bn between 2014 and 2016.
The former Governor of Lagos State said this at the third triennial delegates’ conference of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies in Abuja on Thursday.
The minister stated that the huge revenue loss was arrived at after he conducted a snap survey of strikes embarked upon by workers in the sector between April 2014 and March 2016.
He urged the workers to reconsider their resistance to private investors in the sector as well as their views of the investors as being exploitative.
In a part of his speech, he said, “Can an employee who caused the employer such financial losses in all good conscience expect improved welfare package or industrial peace? Or have the employees taken over from the employers?
“Our job is to provide electricity and get paid for it; we have no other job. If electricity is not enough, it means that we haven’t provided it, you and I. If there is not enough electricity, it is not the fault of the President but you and I, who are employed to work in this sector.”
He also said “In this situation they have perhaps failed to see themselves as part of government
“This in part explains why there is talk of cooperation or lack of cooperation between government and labour instead of employer and employee.
“I understand it and I will attempt to trace its roots, but the point must be made with every emphasis that any person employed in Government is a part and parcel of Government.
“If there is any one who still doubts this, the question to ask is whether you can be a member of this association or union, without first being a government employee?”