Sequel to the declaration of a nationwide indefinite strike by organized labour unions, led by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Electricity workers have shut down the national grid, leading to abrupt power cut in many parts of the country.
Confirming the national grid shutdown on Tuesday, Ndidi Mbah, the spokesperson for Transmission Company of Nigeria,TCN, said that, electricity workers, including the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, complied with directives of the Nigeria Labour Congress to withdraw their services around 11:20 am on Monday, leading to a nationwide blackout.
She explained that, electricity workers were part of the NLC and followed the memo issued to them by the organized labour to embark on strike from Tuesday, November 14 2023.
Ebony Herald gathered that many parts of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja and its environs are now faced with power outage.
Recall that the Federal Government had gone ahead to obtain a courrt order restraining the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress from embarking on a nationwide indefinite strike.
In his reaction to the ongoing strike action, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement described action by the unions as a flagrant disobedience to court order and a lack of regard for the nation’s judiciary.
The Presidency cautioned that the nation’s economy and social activities should not be allowed to suffer because of what it described as “personal interest of any labour leader.”
Also recall that both the NLC and the TUC had jointly issued notice of a nationwide strike following an attack on Joe Ajaero, the President of NLC, on November 1 2023, in Imo State, who led an industrial action over the failure of the state government to clear backlogs of workers salaries.
