Activities were yesterday paralysed at the headquarters of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company(IBEDC) located along Ring Road, Ibadan, when members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR) in their scores, protested against some alleged sundry issues.

The workers who stormed the place as early as 7am and prevented many of the company staff who had not entered the premises from gaining entrance also barricaded the entrance of the office.

He said they were protesting sundry issues that emanated from the controversial privatisation of PHCN which included: the unlawful sacking of their members from the defunct PHCN by the new owners, non-payment of severance packages to workers who had worked up to 10 years as casual workers, and the issuance of "crazy" bills without supplying electricity.

In full glare of armed men of the Nigerian Army who had been guarding the office, mobile policemen and DSS operatives, the protesting workers, for hours, sang and displayed placards with various inscriptions.

Some of the inscriptions read: "Recall sacked workers now"; "Labour say no to casualisation of workers"; "People that worked for 10years in electricity industry without engagement. What is our fate"; "No to anti union stance of the investors"; "No progress can come with Darlington in charge" among others.

Speaking during the protest, the chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the NLC, Comrade Bashir Olanrewaju said that the NLC was joining victimized members of the NUEE to fight against labour slavery, victimization, and public extortion by the government and the new power investors.

According to him, government and "those they sold PHCN to" have not fulfilled many of the agreements reached with the workers before and after the privatisation exercise.

"We have come here today as the second phase. We have come here before. We have had several meetings but they have never fulfilled many of their promises. We are here today to invite the attention of the public to the fact that they are being exploited by their nation.

"They sacked workers without paying them a kobo, saying that they were casuals,whereas casualisation is illegal in Nigeria. The government said those who were retrenched would get their salaries on time but up till now many of them have not been paid anything.

"Also, they have prevented Nigerians from unionising themselves. The new investors have banned unions. This is against the right to freedom of association in 1999 constitution," they alleged.

According to him, after they have finished sharing our commonwealth among themselves, that it would bring an end of crazy bills in Nigeria, saying that Up till now, they were still bringing crazy bills and up till now, many areas in Nigeria are without electricity.

After a brief argument with security agencies who attempted to dislodge the protesting workers, Bashir warned that any attempt by the security men to apply force would lead to the union extending and enlarging the scope, size and duration of the protest.

Also speaking at the rally, the South West Vice President of the NUEE, Comrade Niyi Akinola lamented that the new investors sacked workers immediately after they took over, an action which he said contravened their agreement not to sack any worker within the next six months of taking over.

Referring to the current IBEDC workers who were seen catching a glimpse of the protest through their windows, Akinola said: "Those of you who are there looking at us. You are selfish. Thinking of yourself alone. You forget that the same may happen to you. Anyway, we would be here to fight for you when they eventually sack you".

The NLC also threatened that if nothing positive is heard from the government after the day's protest, the union would mobilise and organise the May Day rally at the same place, "so that the world would see how they are ruining Nigeria".