The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has suspended its strike, which had caused a total blackout across the federation.
This followed a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige on Wednesday, August 17.
Read Also: Ngige Convenes Emergency Meeting Of Electricity Workers As Blackout Envelopes Cities
A statement from the Head, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Olajide Oshundun, reads;
“The Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has apprehended the strike embarked upon by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) following an emergency meeting between the union, government, and other stakeholders, at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.
Dr Ngige set up a tripartite committee to look into the grievances of electricity workers towards addressing them.
The statement added that the union’s secretary general, Joe Ajaero, has “assured the minister that all necessary steps would be taken to restore the supply of electricity to the country immediately”.
Back Story
Earlier, Electricity employees withdrew their services at the Kaduna Regional Headquarters of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in line with the directive of the union’s national leadership.
The TCN Kaduna Regional station covers four northwestern states, Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.
On Wednesday morning, NUEE officials picketed the Mando TCN Station in the Kaduna state capital, shutting down operations, and thereafter, forced workers out of the company’s premises before locking the gate with their own key.
They had vowed not to resume work until all their demands are met by the Federal Government.
The electricity union is protesting the non payment of outstanding arrears owed to former workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), suspension of conditions of service and career path for workers and the directive by the TCN board to conduct promotion interviews for acting principal managers who are moving to Assistant General Managers .
