Blackout Looms In Nigeria As Electricity Workers Begin Strike

There was a total blackout across Lagos State and other parts of the country on Wednesday following the nationwide strike by electricity workers who are protesting the non-payment of their colleagues’ entitlements and poor working conditions, among others.

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) had in a notice signed by its General Secretary, Joe Ajaero, directed its members across the country to embark on strike from Wednesday.

The workers are protesting the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)’s directive to acting principal managers eyeing the position of general managers to attend a promotion interview.

Other issues raised by the union include the stigmatisation of employees from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation from working in other sections in the power industry and the failure to pay staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) their December 2019 entitlement.

NUEE had earlier given the TCN a 14-day ultimatum to address its complaints or risk industrial action by its members.

The Ikeja Electric Plc (IKEDC) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) confirmed the development in separate public notices to their customers.

The DisCos said the picketing of the TCN by the union members had plunged customers under their networks into darkness.

“Due to the ongoing nationwide picketing of Transmission Stations by the NUEE, we are experiencing power supply disruption as most stations within our network have been shut down.

“Kindly bear with us as we await amicable resolution by the relevant stakeholders.

“Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation,” IKEDC said.

Similarly, EKEDC said the grounding of activities at the TCN-controlled power stations had led to the disruption of electricity supply to customers across the country.

It stated: “In the meantime, we would like to reassure our esteemed customers that we are currently working with the relevant regulatory authorities and the parties involved to reach an amicable resolution.

“Thank you for your understanding.”

The situation is the same across the country with residents of Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abeokuta, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) groaning under the prolonged power outage.

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