Nationwide blackout is imminent as electricity workers shut the national grid over the declaration of an indefinite strike by organised labour unions.
Reports monitored by Daily Post said Ndidi Mbah, the spokesperson for Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), confirmed this exclusively on Tuesday.
According to her, electricity workers, under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), complied with the directives of the Nigeria Labour Congress to withdraw their services around 11:20 am on Monday, leading to a nationwide blackout.
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“Electricity workers are NLC members; they’ve followed the directive by organized labour to withdraw their services from Tuesday,” she stated.
Straightnews gathered that Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital is experiencing a blackout.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress announced a nationwide indefinite strike starting Tuesday despite a court order restraining the unions from doing so.
Reacting to the development, the Presidency, in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, said strike action by unions was a flagrant disobedience to court order and a lack of respect for the judiciary.
Accordingly, the government expressed displeasure that the nation’s economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interest of any labour leader.
Meanwhile, workers in Akwa Ibom have joined their counterparts in embarking on the strike.
Speaking with Passion Radio reporter on Tuesday, Comrade Sunny James, the Chairperson of Nigeria Labour Congress, Akwa Ibom Council, confirmed that the strike has been observed in the state.
James rejected claim that the workers embarked on the strike following assault on the NLC President in Imo State.
According to him, the state workers want to press home payment of 35 per cent salary increment announced by the Federal Government, which the state government has not implemented, except few states in the country.
On the accusation that the Organised Labour has disobeyed the subsisting court order barring the unions from proceeding on the strike, the labour leader accused the Federal Government of collecting their demands in the daytime but going to court in the evening to get what he described as ‘‘purported court order,’’ noting that the labour has not been served with any restraining order.
Recall that the unions had, last week, issued a nationwide strike notice over an assault on Joe Ajaero, the NLC President, on November 1, 2023 in Imo State.
