Electricity workers earmark N1.5b for developmental projects

Poised to reduce its reliance and survival on check off dues from members, the National Union of Electricity Employees, (NUEE) said it has earmarked about N1.5 billion for various developmental projects across the country.

Specifically, the union said the various projects on the platform of NUEE ventures would ensure its survival in these precarious times.

In a chart with journalists prior to the commissioning of some of the completed projects in Abuja on Tuesday, the union represented by its President, Mansur Musa and General Secretary, Joe Ajaero, NUEE disclosed that the various projects can cumulatively employ about 400 workers.

Besides, Ajaero disclosed that the union had been involved in projects and investment for a long time, noting that they were geared towards de-emphasizing the union’s over dependent on check off dues.

He revealed that some of union’s pro-actives plans came handy after the privatization of the the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, when the new investors were not ready to associate with the union.

Without talking in specific terms, we have projects of about N1.5 billion completed and ongoing. The three projects commissioned today are parts of the projects. The Onike, Lagos guesthouse project, the Ofad Pole company and the investment aspect are part of the project. We are already recruiting staff including the Managing Directors and others, for some of the companies.

We have N1.5 billion marked out for these ventures whether ongoing or completed. That is, what should be in the account, what we have spent so far and what we are going to spend until the companies are stabilized. We have just commissioned three of such projects. We are going to do a lot of things. These projects are coming on the platform of NUEE Ventures.

So, it is like the NUEE Ventures is capitalized with N1.5billion. We are going to separate its management from that of the Union. The union is not going to be involved in the day- to day running of the businesses. We will concentrate on union’s administration and hand over the running of the businesses to those who know how to run them. We have about three or four companies that have been registered.

We can only meet at the board to know how the companies are been managed. We will appoint representatives that will be briefing the union on the activities of the companies. We already commissioned some projects before today. We have already commissioned guest houses in Benin, Edo State, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Jos etc.

Speaking in similar vein the current president who will be handing over to a new president this weekend, recalled the journey since he took over and urged the incoming administration not to only sustain the tempo, but ensure they surpassed what they would meet on ground.

The projects commissioned were a 36-room NUEE Motel at Utako area of Abuja, NUEE Apartments, also at Utako and NUEE Office Complex Area 8, Garki, that will house the union’s companies especially Accutrack that will be manufacturing meters and its associated softwares, and Volta Metering solutions that will be marketing the meters, doing after sales services, repairs.
The union also unveiled two new Toyota Hiace 18-seater buses.

The pioneer president of the union and former Treasurer of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Ero Philips alongside former president of the union, Alhaji T. A. Shamang, Mukaila Salawu and its current president Mansur Musa performed the commissioning.