DisCos Warns Of Nationwide Blackout In Nigeria As Electricity Workers Embark On Strike

The Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) has warned Nigerians of possible blackout across the country as the organised labour commence an indefinite strike over pending issues with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Electricity Workers Strike

The aggrieved workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), had directed its members to picket the offices of TCN on Tuesday, after which a strike action would commence on Wednesday, August 17.

The NUEE in a notice by its general secretary, Joe Ajaero, had said the picketing was to challenge a directive by the TCN board that all principal managers in acting capacity upgrading to acting-general manager capacity must appear for a promotion interview.

The union said the directive was in contravention of the workers’ conditions of service and career progression paths, adding that “it was unilaterally done without the relevant stakeholders”.

The group also complained about the failure of the authorities to pay the entitlement of former staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in December 2019.

The TCN had appealed to aggrieved electricity workers to suspend their proposed strike, assuring that steps had been taken to resolve the issues.

EKEDC Warns Of Planned Strike

Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) warned that the planned strike action which will commence today may lead to disruption of power supply to electricity consumers across the nation.

EKEDC, however, reassured its customers that it was working with the relevant regulatory authorities and the parties involved to reach an amicable resolution and avert the strike action.

The statement reads, “This is to inform our esteemed customers of the planned industrial action by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) at the power stations controlled by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

“We anticipate that the industrial action, which is set to take place from Wednesday, the 17th of August 2022, if goes as planned may lead to disruption of power supply to electricity consumers across the nation.

“In the meantime, we would like to reassure our esteemed customers that we are currently working with the relevant regulatory authorities and the parties involved to reach an amicable resolution and avert the strike action.“

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