By Seun Adams
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), on Sunday urged it’s staff across the country to discard the selfish and ill motivated planned picketing of its offices
by the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
TCN, in a statement signed by Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, which was made available to the media, said the company is not experiencing any industrial disharmony that could warrant the picketing of offices from any labour organization.
TUC, the company said, was ill-informed by Comrade Chris Okonkwo, who is the current president of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), having lost the support of TCN staff in his misguided bid to use the association to advance his selfish interest.
She said: “Okonkwo lost the support of TCN staff after they discovered he mismanaged their superannuation fund and the monthly subscriptions from members of the Association.
“The TCN branch of SSAEAC has made this act of misconduct by Okonkwo a subject of investigation by EFCC.
“Okonkwo, out of sheer mischief, took the position that the TCN branch of SSAEAC has the backing of TCN management in the call for his probe by EFCC.”
TCN, explains that Okonkwo, has been colluding with those who are beneficiaries of the previous rots in TCN to sabotage government effort in the power sector.
Acccording to Mbah, Okonkwo wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari, rebutting the efforts of the MD, TCN, Usman Mohammed to the effect that DisCos should be capitalised.
This patriotic statement, TCN added, is being challenged by those who are beneficiaries of the illiquidity in the power sector, stressing that they are using Okonkwo who believes he has some scores to settle with TCN.
TNC, however recalls in August 2018, that Okonkwo could not secure the support of a single staff of TCN when he picketed the company with thugs.
According, to the company, it believes that TUC, unknown to them, is being used by unpatriotic elements.
“TUC, as a law abiding organization, is expected to find out why Comrade Okonkwo could not secure the support of TCN staff, NUEE or SSAEAC TCN branch before accepting to lead the picketing of TCN.
“The company under the current management has successfully expanded the capacity of the grid from 5,000MW, when it took office in February 2017, to 8,100MW in December 2018.
“It is on record that TCN receives less than 30% of its revenue from the DisCos; yet she has been able to attain this unprecedented stride in grid expansion largely due to staff support.
“Using in-house capacity, TCN has installed transformers and strung lines with associated transmission system devices in the last two years more than had ever been achieved in the previous 15 years before this administration.” It said.
The company’s Spokesperson, said using in-house capacity, it has prepared projects and secured more than $1.6 billion from multilateral donors, stressing, that this is meant to reinforce the network across the nation to N-1 Reliability standards.
The study TCN has also assisted in achieving a level of system frequency control never experienced in the nation’s history, which has been commended by WAPP.
It said: “Current TCN management has been promoting staff more than it had ever done before in its history, we are working assiduously to enhance the company’s revenue base so we can pay better salary.”