Federal workers in A’Ibom moan over 4-yr blackout

Over 50 generators pollute the atmosphere daily
Govt owing, no electricity until they pay — PHCN staff
Civil servants forced to perform official duties on passageways
UYO — FEDERAL civil and public servants occupying the Federal Secretariat, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, have cried out to Federal Government to save them from inhuman working conditions they have been subjected to during the last four years at the secretariat.

The secretariat located along Abak Road, in the state capital, NDV gathered, have been without electricity for the period, forcing most workers to hang around the passageways of the building to perform official duties. The workers decried the horrible conditions in which they perform their duties, especially as most of the ministries and agencies cannot afford fuel to power their generators.
Federal Secreteriat, Uyo.
Over 50 generators emitting precarious carbon oxide: NDV noticed that as early as 9.00 am when most heads of the ministries and agencies would have resumed for the day’s official activities, over 50 generating sets hum at different points, causing a cacophony.
The generating sets, many yearning for replacement, emit dangerous carbon dioxide which the over 500 workers and visitors to the secretariat inhale throughout the hours of work, a development that health experts said was inimical to health.
On a visit to the secretariat from 12.00 pm, the situation is worse, as clouds of choking fumes envelope the sky, while hearing is impeded because of pollution and generator sounds from different corners of the gigantic building.
I met the secretariat in darkness – Iwok, NIMC boss
Heads of some of the ministries and agencies contacted NDV declined official comments on grounds with one of them saying: “As you can see, we are civil servants and have no right to talk to the press on any matter except you call our boss in Abuja.”
But, Akwa Ibom State coordinator, National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Mr. Fred Brownson Iwok, whose commission is accommodated in the secretariat, spoke to NDV. He said: “The greatest challenge of the commission in the state is electricity.”
Mr. Iwok said when he resumed work at the commission in 2013; he met the secretariat already in darkness. He lamented the situation which he acknowledged as his greatest challenge, especially as he uses electricity to carry out demographic and bio data aspects of his constitutional duties to the nation. He, however, disclosed that heads of resident federal establishments in the secretariat were working out modalities to address the situation.
PHCN alleges N20m debt: “I am among the team that was asked to find out from PHCN what is wrong with power distribution to the secretariat. I was shocked when we were told in their office that we owed over N20 million even when they disconnected the facility at the time that the bill was less than N1 million,” he asserted.
At the Public Complaint Commission, a staff who maintained anonymity said, “The federal government should come to our aid, we are working with pains, I have never seen light in this office since I resumed here three years ago.” The staff complained that only few directors, who have their personal funds, could afford to power their generating sets while some work with their staff under unbearable conditions.
“All the revenue we generate here goes to the federal government account with this obnoxious TSA leaving us with nothing to operate with,” a senior civil servant informed. They complained that the little funds approved for running the office are barely released on time leaving little or nothing to fuel the generators.
No payment, no electricity: At the office of PHCN, along IBB Avenue, Uyo, the district manager was said to have gone out on official assignment when NDV visited. A staff at the Billing Section, who refused to disclose his name, said: “This is no longer NEPA, the government has privatized electricity, yet they have refused to pay bills"