Nigeria: Blackout Looms As Nigerian Electricity Workers Join Labour Unions’ Strike

The NUEE members’ strike could throw the country into darkness, given the workers’ critical roles in electricity distribution in the country.

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has directed its members to commence full mobilisation to ensure compliance with the directive of the Nigerian labour unions to embark on a nationwide strike.

The NUEE in a notice signed by its acting general secretary, Dominic Igwebike, on Monday, urged its members to comply with the directive and stop work from the early hours of Tuesday.

The NUEE members’ strike could throw the country into darkness, given the workers’ critical roles in electricity distribution in the country.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) declared the strike, following the brutalisation of the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State on 1 November.

Mr Ajaero was attacked in Owerri, the state capital, during an NLC protest against the Imo State government over alleged maltreatment of workers in the state.

The unions on Monday directed their members to down tools across the country as from Tuesday.

This is despite the restraining order issued by the National Industrial Court, in Abuja, on Friday, stopping the labour unions from embarking on the strike. The judge, Benedict Kanyip, ordered the two major labour unions to stop their industrial action scheduled to commence on 14 November.

The interim order followed an ex-parte request by the Nigerian government through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, due to the Labour unions’ threat to embark on strike.

Meanwhile, the presidency has called the strike an illegal and unwarranted act, describing it as a blackmail of the government.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, said the government was still at a loss as to why labour would punish a whole country of over 200 million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President.

On Monday, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation similarly advised the unions against the strike, asking them to respect the subsisting court order, which it said had been served on them.

The office urged the unions not to embark on what it described as a contemptuous act after being served with the court order.

In the notice, the NUEE urged its members to totally withdraw its services “if the government refused to address the issues raised from the shortfall of the atrocious event in Imo State”.

“With reference to the NLC NEC meeting of today: 13th November 2023 and the joint communique from NLC and TUC dated 7 November 2023 on nationwide withdrawal of service on 14th November 2023 if the government refused to address the issues raised from the shortfall of the atrocious event in Imo State on the 1st of November 2023, we affirm that the nationwide strike will commence as stipulated on Tuesday 14th November 2023.

“To this effect, all National, State and Chapter executives are requested to start the mobilization of our members in total compliance with this directive.

“Please note that withdrawal of Services nationwide commences from 0.00 hours of Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Please ensure total compliance,” it said.