By Temi Boyo
KOKO/Nigeria: The Warri North chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), has decried the power shortage presently experienced in the Warri North Local Government Council secretariat.
This, is coming after the Benin Electrical Distribution Company (BEDC), disconnected power supply to the council, over lack of payment of 300,000 (three hundred thousand naira) electricity bill incurred by the council last month.
The union members who blamed the situation on the lack of planning by the council authorities in providing constant power supply for increased workers performance during an emergency meeting of executives of the union, promised to embark on a protest next week if measures are not put in place to address the situation going forward.
Speaking on the issue, the secretary of the union, Comrade Charles Loko, said the importance of electricity in the council cannot be overemphasized, adding that it should be on priority list as soon as the council gets allocation.
He urged the council authorities to look into the billing system of the council by the BEDC, noting that the council might have been placed on estimated billing.
One of the union representatives, Comrade Sylvester Pere who expressed displeasure at the situation, maintained that the issue has been neglected for a long time and called on the chairman of the union, Comrade Moses Baradi to call a meeting with the council chairman, Honourable Smart Asekutu to put an end to the incessant power shortage in the council secretariat.
Addressing members of his executive, the Warri North NULGE chairman, bemoaned the lack of power supply in the council, which he noted as contributed to staff hiding under trees around the council area to get relief from the terrible heat in their offices.
He however reiterated his commitment to making sure the present administration of the council provide suitable working environment for council staff, and promised to call the attention of the council chairman before the union embark on a protest next week to drive home their demands.
It will be recalled that early this year the leadership of the Warri North NULGE, during meeting between management and staff of the council, had called on the attention of the council chairman over lack of offices and poor working environment experienced by the council staff.
