AS part of its contribution to kickstart the wheel of the economy and boost its financial base, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), has unfolded its business ventures estimated at N1.5 billion.
Consequently, three of the ventures, an office complex, apartment suites, a 36-room hotel and two Toyota 18-seater buses were commissioned in Abuja yesterday.
Other projects billed for completion early next year include a pole manufacturing company in Jos, Plateau State, guest houses and hotels in Lagos, Edo and Owerri, and office buildings in all the 36 states of the federation including the capital teritory, Abuja.
Speaking at the commissioning, the Secretary General of the union, Joe Ajaero, said the union’s efforts would equally reduce unemployment in the country as over 150 workers have been penciled down for employment.
“Initially, we are going to have over 150 workers working in those completed projects, but by the time we complete all, more workers would be employed,” he said.
Ajaero explained that the idea behind the ventures was also to provide jobs for some of its members who lost their jobs during the privatisation of the sector. But most importantly, he reasoned that the union’s leadership’s aim was to de-emphasise its reliance on check off dues from employers, which he said has reduced drasticaly.
He said, “all the privatised companies, the Discos and Gencos, refused to pay us check offs for about six months at inception, but if we have our investments, the companies would not be able to hold us to ransom.
“With our investments, we can keep the union afloat, just as we have in countries like Japan and South Africa; the unions there can conveniently go on strike for three months and pay their members, while the battle lasts. It is our plan to be one of the best unions in the continent.”
Ajaero, however, stated that the projects are being funded directly from the selfless contributions of the members who had all received handsome severance packages due to intervention of the union.
The President of the union, Mansur Musa, however, expressed optimism that the incoming leadership would be able to build on the legacy achieved during his tenure.
“It is our intention to separate the running of all the ventures from the union activities, we would only meet at the board, through that there would be accountability,” he said.
In his speech at the commissioning, the first president of the union, Ero Phillips, who turned 87 recently, charged the new unionists to take issues of organising and welfare of their members more seriously.
“This day, they don’t mobilise the way we were doing in those days. Workers who pay dues do not even know their secretaries or where the unions are located and what is prevalent today is that employers whose interest is only profit are not mindful of the workers interest,” he lamented.
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