Nigeria Fumbles In Darkness Over Labour Strike

• As Electricity workers shut down national grid
• ASUU, PASAN join nationwide action
• Banks offer skeletal services in Abuja

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO AND EDMOND ODOK – In compliance with the indefinite strike ordered by Organized Labour, electricity workers on Tuesday morning threw the country into total darkness by shutting down the national grid.

Insider sources in the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), while confirming the development, said members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) decided to comply with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) directives to withdraw their services at about 11:20 am Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

Pointedly, one of the sources said; “Electricity workers are NLC members; they have followed the directives by Organized Labour to withdraw their services from Tuesday.”

With the latest development, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs are already experiencing blackout with reports indicating that the darkness is nationwide in support of the Labour’s indefinite strike that commenced from midnight of November 13, 2023.

A notice signed by NUEE’s Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, had requested all National, State and Chapter executives to mobilize members to comply with the strike ordered by NLC and TUC.

The statement said; “With reference to NLC NEC meeting of today; 13th November 2023 and the joint communique from NLC and TUC dated 7 November 2023 on nationwide withdrawal 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 00:00 hours of Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Please ensure total compliance,” the notice reads.

Labour is protesting the physical attack and brutalisation of the NLC President,  Comrade Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, the Imo State capital 13 days ago by persons believed to have been sponsored by the Governor Hope Uzodinma-led administration.

Speaking on the attack, Comrade Ajaero alleged he was picked by policemen who handed him over to thugs that beat him silly, dragging him on the ground.

The attack came after the NLC had declared a protest in Imo, led by Ajaero on November 1, over alleged anti-workers’ policies and non-payment of 20-month salary arrears by the State government.

Before mounting the saddle as the NLC President, Comrade Ajaero has been the long-standing General Secretary, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).

Also joining the fray is the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a development that has raised fears of the country experiencing a total shut-down, including the university system.

ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, directed all members of the Union to join the industrial strike action declared by the NLC.

He said in a statement thus; “As an affiliate of NLC, all members of our Union are hereby directed to join this action of NLC to protect the interest of Nigerian workers and the Leadership of the Union.

“Zonal Coordinators and Branch Chairpersons should immediately mobilize our member to participate in the action. A people united, cannot be defeated”.

Meanwhile, official activities were crippled at the National Assembly (NASS), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) headquarters and most government offices in Abuja on Tuesday as a result of the Organised Labour directives to all its affiliate unions.

Leading the line at the National Assembly were members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria who barricaded the main entrance into the complex early on Tuesday morning.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday, directed all zonal coordinators and chairpersons of the union to instruct their members to embark on the nationwide strike in line with the directive from the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

This was contained in a letter which was signed by ASUU’s National President, Emmanuel Osodeke, was issued on Monday night.

The letter read, “The Nigeria Labour Congress at a Joint National Executive Council of NLC and TUC directed all affiliate unions to commence the withdrawal of services with effect from 12 midnight today November 13, 2023.

“As an affiliate of NLC, all members of our union are hereby directed to join this action of NLC to protect the interest of Nigerian workers and the leadership of the union.”

Also complying with the Labour directives is the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFE) that requested its members to join the strike, saying, “We hereby direct all our members in all Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions to stay off duty as from 14th November 2023 until otherwise directed by the Congress.”

Consequently, most of the commercial banks in Abuja were under lock and key while some were seen offering skeletal services to their customers who are hard pressed for cash, especially the PoS operators.

The TUC President, Mr Festus Osifo, while addressing a joint media briefing with the NLC in Abuja on Monday to declare the strike, said the two Labour Centres have resolved to stand firmly by the decision of their joint National Executive Councils (NECs) held last week Tuesday.

He said “effective from midnight on 14th November, we shall declare a nationwide strike. All affiliates of the TUC and NLC, and all state councils of the two unions have been mobilised adequately.”

Further announcing that “This is going to be indefinite until governments at all levels wake up to their responsibilities”, Osifo said; “This is the decision of the joint NEC of NLC and TUC and we are going to carry it out to the letter”.

However, he said for the Labour unions to suspend their strike, the government must investigate the issues surrounding the attack on Ajaero, and all those involved in the attack must be prosecuted or disciplined.

The TUC President added thus; “We are also demanding for the immediate ‘restoration’ of all properties lost. We also call for urgent implementation of all the outstanding Industrial Relations agreements previously entered into with the Imo government”.