The authorities oppose the strike of SEEG agents

Libreville, Sunday December 10, 2023 (Gabon News) – General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema warned them on Saturday after their threat of a general strike. They plan to plunge the country into darkness.

Agents of the Gabon Energy and Water Company (SEEG) have been angry since last Friday. Their main demands essentially relate to the payment of the 2023 bonus called the 13th month.

The SEEG General Management is unable to pay the bonus this year to its employees. This is why it decided to suspend the payment of this bonus. The idea, according to its managers, would be to guarantee the conditions of employees, while preserving the survival of the company. It was on December 8 that the information was delivered to them, that is to say the day dedicated to this payment.

To the great despair of the agents who immediately threatened a strike, or even plunging the country into darkness. An opinion that the Head of State does not share, whose reaction was immediate.

“Let them plunge us into darkness and I will see where they are. These agents have not yet understood that they must undergo military service. Let them put us all in the dark and I’ll see where they go. I ask the intelligence service to bring me the files of each member of this union which believes itself to be stronger than the State. I want cards that determine where they live, and they will understand. You will look for them house by house,” proclaimed Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.

And added: “they are not the only graduates or engineers in this country. Among you, there are also graduates. Consequently, it is not 2500 agents who are going to annoy us, we have more than 100 thousand files awaiting recruitment to the Civil Service and among these files, there are engineers. If they don’t want to work, they will be replaced by other Gabonese people. They have not yet understood the concept of change. Let them understand that we are in a state of exception.”

Beyond this reaction from the transitional president who spoke on Saturday from Ndendé, the SEEG’s problems are real. The company is in crisis. We are talking about a colossal debt and organizational problems. In this list, there is also the obese organization chart and the obsolescence of the equipment. This is the inventory made last November 23 to the Prime Minister by the new managers of SEEG, which has a monopoly in the water and electricity sectors.

The authorities would therefore benefit from looking at the situation closely to avoid an unnecessary standoff with the agents grouped within the National Union of Workers in the Water and Electricity Sector (Syntee+). Apparently, the officers were not prepared for this situation. Communication and teaching are important in this type of situation.

FIN/INFOSGABON/SM/2023

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