Electricity workers suspend strike for 2 weeks
THE Nigerian electricity workers have suspended their nationwide strike, which led to total blackout in different parts of the country.
Major Nigerian cities including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, were left in darkness Wednesday after electricity workers began a strike over welfare issues.
The National Union of Electricity Workers (NUEE) had announced the strike on Tuesday during a protest at the Transmission Company Of Nigeria’s headquarters in Abuja.
Electricity distribution companies told customers that there will be power outages as a result of the strike.
The strike by the workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, was triggered by the directive of the TCN Board that all Principal Managers who are in acting capacity must undergo promotion interviews.
The impact of the strike began unfolding at 10am Wednesday when the grid dropped from 4,149 Megawatts recorded at 6am to 2,600MW. The grid capacity continued to drop as more workers at transmission stations downed tools.
It fell further to 939.4MW at 3pm and finally recorded zero generation at 4pm.
The protesting workers had blocked the entrance to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, headquarters building in Abuja.
The electricity workers under the joint umbrella of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEC) agreed to suspend the industrial action, following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.
Ngige had summoned an emergency conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the electricity workers on Wednesday to resolve the issues that precipitated the industrial action.
The issues are the alleged contravention in their Conditions of Service and Career Progression, stigmatization of electricity staff by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and refusal of the market operators to fund the payment of entitlements of ex-PHCN staff as agreed in the December 2019 agreement
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, which lasted about four hours, the President of NUEE, Comrade Joe Ajero, said they have been asked to suspend their strike action.
Ajaero expressed hope that the Federal Government would act in good faith on the issues in dispute which have lingered for years, to a very dangerous point
He said they would take a pause on the industrial action and wait for two weeks as agreed in the meeting for the government to address their grievances.
The President of SSAEC, Comrade Chika Ben assured the nation that the matter would be nipped in the bud before it escalates, adding that there would be no further blackout in any part of the country.
THE Nigerian electricity workers have suspended their nationwide strike, which led to total blackout in different parts of the country.
Major Nigerian cities including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, were left in darkness Wednesday after electricity workers began a strike over welfare issues.
The National Union of Electricity Workers (NUEE) had announced the strike on Tuesday during a protest at the Transmission Company Of Nigeria’s headquarters in Abuja.
Electricity distribution companies told customers that there will be power outages as a result of the strike.
The strike by the workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, was triggered by the directive of the TCN Board that all Principal Managers who are in acting capacity must undergo promotion interviews.
The impact of the strike began unfolding at 10am Wednesday when the grid dropped from 4,149 Megawatts recorded at 6am to 2,600MW. The grid capacity continued to drop as more workers at transmission stations downed tools.
It fell further to 939.4MW at 3pm and finally recorded zero generation at 4pm.
The protesting workers had blocked the entrance to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, headquarters building in Abuja.
The electricity workers under the joint umbrella of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEC) agreed to suspend the industrial action, following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.
Ngige had summoned an emergency conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the electricity workers on Wednesday to resolve the issues that precipitated the industrial action.
The issues are the alleged contravention in their Conditions of Service and Career Progression, stigmatization of electricity staff by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and refusal of the market operators to fund the payment of entitlements of ex-PHCN staff as agreed in the December 2019 agreement
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, which lasted about four hours, the President of NUEE, Comrade Joe Ajero, said they have been asked to suspend their strike action.
Ajaero expressed hope that the Federal Government would act in good faith on the issues in dispute which have lingered for years, to a very dangerous point
He said they would take a pause on the industrial action and wait for two weeks as agreed in the meeting for the government to address their grievances.
The President of SSAEC, Comrade Chika Ben assured the nation that the matter would be nipped in the bud before it escalates, adding that there would be no further blackout in any part of the country.