The Association of Disengaged Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Workers in Bauchi has urged the Federal Government to see reasons with their predicament and pay them their entitlements.
Alhaji Lawan Magini, the state vice chairman of the association made the call during a protest by the disengaged workers in Bauchi on Saturday.
“We want the Federal Government to see reasons with our predicaments and pay us our entitlements,” he said.
According to him, “We have not been paid despite series of agreements and promises between the association and the government.
Magini said the development had made life very difficult for their members as many of them could not afford to cater for their families anymore.
“So much expectations of the payment of our gratuities from government have failed us, some of us died in the process, leaving many children and widows behind helplessly.
“We can no longer provide for our families. The hardship, hunger, depression, poverty and disappointment are enough. The government should do what is needful,” he said.
Magini said the outstanding benefits include; completion of non payment of some disengaged staff, non-payment of 7.5 per cent pension component by the government/employer.
“Others are non-payment of 16 months arrears as a result of delay in handing over from July 2012 to October 2013.non-payment of 10 per cent equity share allotted to disengaged PHCN staff for privatisation among others, ” he said.
Malam Jamilu Shehu, one of the disengaged workers who lost his right arm and a cut-off finger in the job while on duty, told journalists that he was later verbally told that his services were no longer needed and left alone with the medical treatment for months.
“I cry everyday when I remember my right arm. This is not how I was born but my job made me this way. The day it happened I was on duty working on a transformer before a spark struck my arm off.
“To my dismay, I was told verbally on the sick bed that there was a list of retrenched workers. I found my name there and that was the end of it all.
“After that I have not been paid one dime.I spent months in hospital while shouldering the medical bills myself. They promised to refund them but up till today, I have not seen anything.
“We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene,”he said.
NAN reports that the disengaged PHCN workers, who staged a peaceful protest chanting slogans also carried placards with various inscriptions.
(NAN)
