Blackout Looms As Electricity Workers Begin Nationwide Strike

Nationwide blackout is imminent as electricity workers begin
indefinite strike this morning.

The industrial action is declared under the aegis of the
National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE)

The union said the decision to down tools remained the only
option since there was no dialogue with the Federal Government to
resolve the lingering industrial crisis in the sector.

Assistant Secretary-General of NUEE Anthony Sule said the 21-day
ultimatum given to Minister of Power Saleh Mamman expired at
midnight on Tuesday.

Sule, in a statement issued in Jos, the Plateau State capital,
said the union had no option but to commence an indefinite
strike.

The statement said: “The ministry of power has failed to resolve
some issues affecting members of the union since 2013 when the
power sector was privatised especially issues that with the over
2,000 disengaged former PHCN workers and their pay off.”

Some of the unresolved issues are illegal transfer of union
properties to power investors and the alleged refusal by some
distribution companies (DisCos) to remit deducted contributory
pension of their members of staff to pension managers.

He added that these issues were contained in a memo to the
minister dated 7th November, 2019.

Last night, General Secretary of NUEE Joe Ajaero said it was
regrettable that the Ministry of Power failed to respond positively
to the strike notice.

Ajaero said the only response from the ministry was the letter
sent to the union on November 18. He said in the letter, the
minister assured the union that something would be done immediately
he settled down.

He said after waiting, the union again wrote the minister on
December 6 but up till yesterday, nothing had been done.

“The strike letter was sent to the Ministry of Power and there
was one letter they wrote, saying the minister is not in the
country and that he is still studying the situation. They said the
minister would look into everything, that is all,” he added.

He said the union made sure that it sent its letter to all the
relevant authorities in the power sector, including security
agencies.

He also told The Nation that the strike notice was published in
one of the national dailies to ensure that no one would claim not
to have seen it.

“I can assure you, the strike will commence any time from now,”
he vowed

Ajaero said the union had given more than enough opportunity for
dialogue on the issues but that nothing was forthcoming from the
government.

A power sector consultant who pleaded anonymity, said yesterday
that the GenCos and DisCos were in dire need of N1.2 billion
bailout to improve services.

He also said one of the stakeholders, the Eko Distribution
Company, had reached out to the union showing areas it had complied
with its workers’ demands.

Ajero said notwithstanding the efforts of the Eko DisCo, its
services would still be affected since generation companies supply
electricity to DisCos.