THE whole nation was, on Wednesday, thrown into darkness as the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) ordered all its members to commence an indefinite strike,

as a result of the alleged failure of the Federal Government to fulfil an earlier agreement.



According to the Assistant General Secretary (West) of the union, Mr John Fati, the strike would be total with no definite time of returning to duty as a result of the alleged nonchalance of the Federal Government to problems facing the power sector.

He added that the Federal Government and its agencies were bent on using divide and rule strategies and techniques in dealing with the workers in the power sector over the payment of N5 billion accumulated arrears of monitisation.

Fati said that all segments of the power sector, distribution, generation and transmission had been closed down while all the 11 zones throughout the federation had commenced the indefinite strike with a stern warning to everybody to steer clear of the offices for any official duty.

Our correspondents all over the country confirmed that PHCN staff had embarked on strike in all the states of the country.

The chairman of NUEE, in Aba, Mr Uche Nwachukwu, on Wednesday, confirmed that a stakeholders’ meeting was held in Enugu with the resolution to make the strike total.

According to him, “there is no electricity in the country now, as electricity workers shut down the system this morning. The agreement is that until we are paid all outstanding salaries and arrears, we are not going back to work.”

When the spokesman for PHCN in Port Harcourt, John Onyi, was contacted, he said he was indisposed, as he was just recovering from a recent accident.

But another source from the company, who preferred anonymity, told the Nigerian Tribune in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, that the strike started same day, adding that the Port Harcourt office was joining in solidarity with other regions where allowances were still being owed.

The union said all efforts had been geared towards resolving the problems amicably, but the Federal Government seemed to have no interest in revamping the power sector and the welfare of the workers.

The NUEE said it reconsidered its earlier stand on the strike based on various promises made by the Federal Government and the management of the PHCN but lamented that nothing nothing was done in the regard.

Consequent upon the strike which started on Wednesday, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was thrown into darkness with government activities paralysed in Abuja.

The seat of power and the entire FCT were thrown into total darkness, as the civil servants who were on duty could not work due to power outage.

Also, other parts of the FCT, from Gwagwalada to Kuje, Lugbe, Airport road, Central District area, Wuse, Garki, Maitama, Asokoro, and Gwarinpa were in total darkness.

When the Nigerian Tribune visited the Federal Secretariat, the whole area was in darkness and there was no work ongoing in any of the offices.

At the Ministry of Labour, the minister, Chief Emeka Wogu, was said to be making efforts to get in touch with the leadership of SSAEAC and NUEE.

At 2.00 p.m, the Special Assistant to the Labour Minister on Media, Mr Ema Azinke, told the Nigerian Tribune that the minister was on his way to Lagos to meet with the leadership of the unions.

In Bayelsa, electricity consumers have started counting their losses, following the strike
Prices of essential commodities were now witnessing a geometric increase, even though the strike was one-day-old.

At some of the business centres visited, the amount charged for photocopying of materials had been increased by 100 per cent.

Also, situations in Bauchi are not different, as commercial and social activities were paralysed in the state, on Wednesday.

Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday, state chairman of NUEE, Moha-mmed Mujad, said power was cut in the state as early as 7.00 a.m on Wednesday, adding that “I believe that by now, other states too must have shut down due to the strike.”

The union leader said the government would determine if the strike would be called off, adding that if the government wanted, it could direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or the authority responsible to pay its members.

The people of Osun State, on Wednesday, lamented the total blackout occasioned by the strike.

The outage was experienced in most parts of the state as early as 6.00 a.m and power was not restored until the time of filing this report.

It was observed that activities at most government offices and private establishments were paralysed as there was no electricity in most places.

The ongoing Global Conference on Black Nationalities in Osogbo was nearly marred by the blackout, as the officials managed to function on generators, while government secretariat at Abere was dull as a result of the power outage.

It was observed that essential government functions were performed with the use of the generators in a few offices.

Private establishments were not left out, as only those that had generators were able to perform their services.

The Electricity Control Centre in Osogbo was under lock and key, as staff members abandoned their official duties.

A few of the staff members sighted at the premises of the NCC declined comment and the referred all enquiries to the union leaders at the national secretariat in Abuja and Lagos.

Socio-economic activities in Delta State were equally paralysed, following the strike by the electricity workers.

Nigerian Tribune observed that power was cut in the early hours of the day, with multinational corporations and private business operators badly affected.

A senior official of NUEE, who preferred anonymity, told the Nigerian Tribune in Warri that the strike was in compliance with the directive of the national secretariat of the union.

Nigerian Tribune observed that the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) installations in Ughelli and Warri were put under lock and key, while a few workers were seen discussing the development in front of their offices.

PHCN staff in Oyo State also joined their counterparts throughout the federation in the strike.
At the time of filing this report, there was electricity blackout in the state.

Most of the people who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on the latest development expressed surprise, saying the government ought to have saved the situation.

A public servant in the state Ministry of Commerce, Mr Titus Adewale, expressed dismay at the inability of the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the country’s power problem.

He said despite several assurances and promises from the government, it was unfortunate that the situation was yet to improve.

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