Unremitted 29m Due: We have cleared all outstanding debts – TCN
By Anthony Okafor
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has repudiated the allegation by the national arm of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), stating that the company is yet to remit its N29 million Check-off dues.
The company also stated that, the publication is geared towards attempting to incite staff based on deliberate misrepresentation of information.
The repudiation is coming against last Monday’s statement by the SSAEAC, threatening the company of an impending industrial crisis if the company fails to remit over N29 million withheld check-off dues
The association had in a letter to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, which was jointly signed by the president, Chris Okonkwo, and the general secretary, Abubakar Dubagari, alleged that the outstanding check-off dues that ought to have been paid to them by the end of December 2019, as agreed in a meeting held with TCN, the Union and Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, is yet to be paid.
According to them, “Still pursuing the option of peaceful resolution of the dispute, we hereby request that urgent necessary steps be taken in this new year, considering that this has been overly delayed.”
However, in a swift reaction, TCN, in a statement made available to iBrandTV stated that, the meeting was held with the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour and Employment, not with the Minister of Labour as was stated in the publication and that check-off dues to both the SSAEAC and NUEE have been paid up to January, 2020.
It further stated that, “We further note that at the said meeting with the Permanent Secretary, an Accounts Reconciliatory Committee was set up consisting of three TCN staff and three SSAEAC members, to collectively examine the payment records by and reconcile with SSAEAC records, in order to determine if there are any outstanding payments due to the Union. This was duly carried out.
“It is important to note that TCN usually remits Union Check-off dues within two weeks after salaries are paid. Remittance was suspended for SSAEAC after March 2019 payment, because the Local Chapter of SSAEAC complained that the percentage of the dues due to them from the Check-off dues paid to the national body was not being remitted by SSAEAC national. The suspension was lifted on the directive of the Permanent Secretary and this was complied with.
“We therefore urge members of the public and the stakeholders in the power sector to disregard the insinuation of labour face-off in the company as TCN has fully discharged its obligations by paying the Union check-off dues to-date.”
