Electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have suspended their strike barely 24 hours of nation-wide blackout.
This was confirmed by press releases from both Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKDC) and Ikeja Electric obtained by Nairametrics via their official twitter handles, on Thursday morning.
EKDC tweet reads thus:
“Dear customer, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has suspended its strike. Our offices & payment channels are open for business. Thank you for your patience & understanding.”
Dear customer, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has suspended its strike. Our offices & payment channels are open for business. Thank you for your patience & understanding.
— Eko Electricity Distribution Company (@EKEDP) December 12, 2019
The Strike Action: Earlier on Wednesday, Nairametrics confirmed the electricity workers across Distribution Companies (DisCos) in the country shut down operations due to some unresolved issues. Some of them are the illegal transfer of union property to power investors, alleged refusal by some DisCos to remit deducted contributory pension of staff to pension managers and improved conditions of service.
Following the strike on Wednesday, the national grid also collapsed.
It was gathered that the electricity workers picketed the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Power, Abuja, disrupting the day’s work. Also, Personnel of the ministry were also denied access to their offices by the protesting workers.
[READ: FG may withdraw licenses of Abuja, 7 other Discos in 60 days]
FG enters negotiation: The leaders of the electricity workers’ union were invited to a meeting on Wednesday with the Minister of State for Power, Godwin Agba, to resolve the issue.
In a press release obtained from the Ikeja Electric twitter handle, the General Secretary of the Union, Comrade Joe Ajaero, stated that the strike has been called off while the union monitors the implementation of the workers’ demands.
“Update on Industrial Action by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE)
Following the agreement reached between NUEE and representatives of the Federal Government this morning, on all the issues in contention, the Union wishes to suspend the industrial action it embarked upon to press home these demands.
Consequently, members are urged to return to their duty posts while we monitor the implementation of these agreements. We would not hesitate to resume action if the agreements are not implemented.”
In the meantime, while power is expected to be restored nationwide, it should be noted that the national electricity grid has recorded more than 10 collapses in 2019, worsening power supply across the country.