BLACK—OUT IN IMO AS ELECTRICITY WORERS BEGIN STRIKE, OTHERS TO JOIN

 
REPORTER: CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

Residents of Imo State have been thrown into black out following an industrial action declared by the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress over alleged undue interference in labour matters by the Imo State Government.

The Head, Corporate Communications, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), Mr. Emeka Eze, had in a statement said the power outage in the state was as a result of the strike, which forced Transmission Company of Nigeria that supplies power to EEDC to shut down at exactly midnight on Tuesday.

The embattled acting State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade George Ofoegbu, told Radio Nigeria that aside the power and aviation sectors that had fully complied with the directive, other affiliate bodies of the organized labour would join the action from Thursday, May 4, 2023.

Mr. Ofoegbu explained that the strike was to protest the alleged disruption of workers’ day celebration in Owerri by thugs suspected to be agents of the government, which he claimed led to their members sustaining injuries.
                          
Meanwhile, a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress, led by Comrade Philip Nwansi, has dissociated itself from the ongoing industrial action describing it as needless and ill-informed.

Addressing a news conference in Owerri, the Chairman Joint Negotiating Council in the State, Comrade Basil Iwu, described as untrue, the allegation that workers’ Day celebration was disrupted in the state, claiming that the organized labour held a rally at Ndubuisi Kanu Square in Owerri with Governor Hope Uzodimma in attendance.                      

Comrade Iwu, who commended the state government for prompt payment of salaries, approval of promotion to deserving workers, provision of free transportation to civil servants and payment of pensions, called on the national leadership of the labour unions to rescind their decisions on the strike as the state government had always engaged with the organized labour in the state.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU