Darkness & blackout as transmission companies shut down electricity in compliance with NLC nation-wide strike
Electricity workers have shut down the national grid following the declaration of an indefinite strike by organized labour unions.
Ndidi Mbah, the spokesperson for Transmission Company of Nigeria, confirmed this in an interview with Daily Post on Tuesday.
According to her, electricity workers, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), followed directives of the Nigeria Labour Congress to withdraw their services around 11:20 am on Monday, leading to a nationwide blackout.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congres Trade Union Congress announced a nationwide indefinite strike starting Tuesday despite a court order restraining the unions from doing so.
The unions included the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE), the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP).
Others are the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees, the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the National Union of Electricity Employees, and the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers.
The strike comes on the heels of the physical assault NLC National President Joe Ajaero was subjected to in Imo State two weeks ago when he and other NLC members were in the South-East state for a demonstration over “non-payment of salaries and pensions for 44 months and violation of other labour rights”.
The protest was viewed in some circles as an attempt to scuttle the re-election bid of Governor Hope Uzodinma in last Saturday’s governorship election.
Following Ajaero’s ordeal, the organised labour called for a nationwide strike beginning today.
However, the National Industrial Court (NIC) restrained them from embarking on the strike action in the wake of the impasse with the Imo State Government.
In spite of the court order, the unions, in a statement on Monday, directed workers nationwide to withdraw their services at midnight.
“In furtherance to the decision of the Joint National Executive Council (NEC) of NLC and TUC, all workers in Nigeria are hereby directed to withdraw their services effective 12:00 midnight today, 13th November 2023,” the unions said in a joint statement.
“Consequently, all affiliates and state councils of NLC/TUC are directed to issue circulars for maximum compliance and these circulars be made available to the National Secretariats or posted to the NEC and CWC Whatsapp Platforms.”
While assuring members of further updates about the nationwide strike, organised labour urged them to “remain assured of our commitment to Nigerian workers and people”.
Meanwhile, 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
