Connect with us

Economy

Blackout in Lagos over electricity workers’ strike; as FCT residents moan over strike

Published

on

Blackout in Lagos over electricity workers' strike; as FCT residents moan over strike

…TCN confirms shut down of national grid***

There was a blackout across Lagos State on Wednesday following the nationwide strike by electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).

Ikeja Electric Plc and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) confirmed the development in separate public notices to their customers.

The DisCos said the picketing of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) by the union members had plunged customers under their networks into darkness.

“Due to the ongoing nationwide picketing of Transmission Stations by the NUEE, we are currently experiencing disruption of power supply as most stations within our network have been shut down.

“Kindly bear with us as we await amicable resolution by the relevant stakeholders.

“Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation,” Ikeja Electric said.

Similarly, EKEDC said the grounding of activities at the TCN controlled power stations had led to the disruption of electricity supply to customers across the country.

“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.

“Thank you for your understanding”, the DisCo said.

The newsmen report that NUEE in a notice signed by its General Secretary, Mr Joe Ajaero, had directed its members to stop work effective Aug. 17.

The union had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Chief Executive Officer of TCN on May 18, threatening to down tools if its complaints were not resolved.

“You are hereby enjoined to mobilise immediately for serious picketing of TCN Headquarters and Stations nationwide over the directive by the TCN Board that all PMs in acting capacity going to AGM must appear for a promotion interview,” the letter said.

“This directive is in contravention of our Conditions of Service and Career Progression Paths and was unilaterally done without the relevant Stakeholders”, the union said.

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

In another development, many residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the strike embarked upon by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).

The residents, who spoke to the newsmen said the strike was uncalled for.

The consumers appealed to the union as well as the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to resolve the issues so as to restore power.

The newsmen report that the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE in a notice signed by its General Secretary, Mr Joe Ajaero, directed its members to stop work from Aug. 17.

”You are hereby enjoined to mobilise immediately for serious picketing of TCN Headquarters and Stations nationwide over the directive by the TCN Board that all  Principal Managers (PMs) n acting capacity going to  Assistant General Manager (AGM) must appear for a promotion interview,” the letter said.

“This directive is in contravention of our Conditions of Service and Career Progression Paths and was unilaterally done without the relevant Stakeholders”, the union said.

The union also decried the failure of the authorities to pay the entitlement of former staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) since December 2019.

Mrs Sadiya Mohammed, a Cold Room Owner in Kado Fish Market said the strike was out of place as most of the demand of the union was uncalled for.

Mohammed said that the issues in contention could had been resolved without going on strike at this time when Nigerians had just started enjoying constant power supply.

“ The strike was not necessary as both parties could have settled the issue to avoid putting Nigerians in darkness.

“I am appealing to the union and the management of TCN to settle the matter as we are tired of strikes in Nigeria, ‘’ she said.

Mrs Ngozi Okonkwo, a civil servant said that the reason for the strike was neither here or there, adding that the union was being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.

Okonkwo said, “the country has been having challenges of National Grid collapse and we are just coming out of it and few weeks after they are going on strike.”

“The funny thing is that what they are asking for is ridiculous, they want to go for promotion exam or interview, how can a civil servant not go for promotion exams and interview.

“We are all civil servants, we go for interviews and promotion exams.”

Mr Segun Alabi, a welder in Lugbe said that the strike would affect his business, adding that it was not easy for him to do his job without electricity.

Alabi appealed to both parties to resolve the issues amicably to save Nigerians from blackout.

Another resident, Mr Raymond Adodo of Lugbe appealed to the union to return to work to save Nigerians from hardship

According to him, Nigerians cannot do without electricity for a long time as most of small-scale business owners depend on power to operate.

In another development, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Wednesday, said that the national grid has been shut down following the industrial dispute by the two in-house unions in the company.

This is contained in a statement by the TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah in Abuja.

Mbah said that the grid was shut down by the unions even as an effort was being made to resolve the issues upon which the action was called.

Mbah said that the incident occurred at 3:01 p.m. on Wednesday,  after several 330kV transmission lines and 33 Kilo Volt (kV) feeder lines across the power system network had been switched off by the members of the unions.

”This resulted in generation-load imbalance and multiple voltage escalations at critical stations and substations.

She said that this was coming weeks after the company had come out of a hectic grid management regime, occasioned by paucity of generations that lingered for a couple of months.

”Coupled with the stream of interventions by the Ministry of Power and other stakeholders in the Value Chain, grid generation (at Peak) had reached 4,830.69 Megawatts (MW) as of Tuesday, “she said.

Mbah said that in spite of the setback, TCN was set to restore the grid as quickly as possible.

The spokesperson said that the Ministries of Power and Labour & Employment were currently meeting with the union officials in order to resolve the issues.

She said that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry appreciates the understanding of our customers within and outside the country.

Mbah said that enduring mechanisms are being instituted to avert a situation of this kind going forward.

 

Economy

PETROL: ‘Be Wary Of Substandard Product Dumping’, Dangote Refinery Tells Nigerians

Published

on

PETROL: 'Be Wary Of Substandard Product Dumping', Dangote Refinery Tells Nigerians

…Says citizens’ health and vehicle longevity are seriously at risk!

The Dangote Refinery on Sunday warned that Nigerians may soon begin to buy substandard petrol, without much concern for either the citizen’s health or the longevity of their vehicles, except care is taken to prevent low products dumping by those open to connive with certain international traders.

The Group’s image maker and spokesman, Anthony Chiejina gave the warning, saying the group was constrained to raise the alarm, despite its desire to refrain from engaging in any media fights.

“We have lately refrained from engaging in media fights but we are constrained to respond to the recent misinformation being circulated by IPMAN, PETROAN, and other associations. 

“Both organisations claim that they can import PMS at lower prices than what is being sold by the Dangote Refinery. We benchmark our prices against international prices and we believe our prices are competitive relative to the price of imports”, Chiejina stated, stressing that the issue on ground was not about being able to land relatively cheaper petrol on ground, but the quality of such products.

“If anyone claims they can land PMS at a price cheaper than what we are selling, then they are importing substandard products and conniving with international traders to dump low-quality products into the country, without concern for the health of Nigerians or the longevity of their vehicles. Unfortunately, the regulator (NMDPRA) does not even have laboratory facilities which can be used to detect substandard products when imported into the country.

“Post deregulation, NNPC set the pace by selling PNS to domestic marketers at N971 per litre for sale into ships and at N990 for sale into trucks. This set the benchmark for our pricing and we have even gone lower to sell at N960 per litre for sale into ships while maintaining N990 per litre for sale into trucks.

“In good faith, and the interest of the country, we commenced sales at these prices without clarity on the exchange rate that we will use to pay for the crude purchased.

“At the same time, an international trading company has recently hired a depot facility next to the Dangote Refinery, intending to use it to blend substandard products that will be dumped into the market to compete with Dangote Refinery’s higher quality production.

“This is detrimental to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria. We should point out that it is not unusual for countries to protect their domestic industries to provide jobs and grow the economy. For example, the US and Europe have had to impose high tariffs on EVs and microchips to protect their domestic industries.

“While we continue with our determination to provide affordable, good quality, domestically refined petroleum products in Nigeria, we call on the public to disregard the deliberate disinformation being circulated by agents of people who prefer for us to continue to export jobs and import poverty”, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer further said.

Continue Reading

Economy

YULETIDE Decorations: LASG To Divert Traffic At Ajose Adeogun

Published

on

YULETIDE Decorations,: LASG To Divert Traffic At Ajose Adeogun

The Lagos State Government will divert Traffic, away from a section of Ajose Adeogun Street in Victoria Island, for the mounting of end-of-the-year decoration, for a duration of three weekends starting from Saturday 19th October 2024.

The aforementioned exercise, according to Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi,  will be carried out in three phases with each phase focusing on different sections of the street. 

To this end, the following alternative routes have been mapped out for motorists during the cause of the mounting; 

 During the First Phase which will cover Jubril Martins to Chicken Republic – (Saturday, 19th and Sunday, 20th October 2024)

Traffic inward Eko-Hotel Roundabout will be diverted to the other half (existing section) of Ajose Adeogun Street by VCP Hotel to form contra-flow traffic and exit at Eko-Hotel Roundabout to continue journeys.

Alternatively, Traffic inward to Eko-Hotel Roundabout from VCP Hotel will be diverted through Jubril Martins into Muri Okunola to link Patience Coker and access Ajose Adeogun Street to connect destinations.

During the Second Phase which will cover Molade Okoya Thomas to Mounis Bashorun section – (Saturday, 26th and Sunday, 27th October 2024). 

Traffic inward Ajose Adeogun Street from Eko-Hotel Roundabout will be diverted to a right turn into Molade Okoya Thomas to link Younis Bashorun to access Ajose Adeogun Street to continue journeys. 

During the Third phase of the project spanning 10 meters inward Ajose Adeogun (Saturday, 2nd November, 2024).

Motorists from Adetokunbo Ademola Street will maintain a lane movement for about 10 metres into Ajose Adeogun Street to connect their destinations, while Motorists inward Eko-Hotel Roundabout on Ajose Adeogun Street will maintain a lane movement for about 10 metres into Eko-Hotel Roundabout.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi while imploring Motorists to note the ease of movement plan assured that the State’s Traffic Management Authority will be on ground to manage vehicular activities along the corridor to minimise inconveniences.

The Commissioner therefore advised Motorists to be patient, as the Partial closure is part of the traffic management plans for the commencement of End of Year Decoration of Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, by Zenith Bank PLC.

Continue Reading

Economy

NLC Kicks, Says Petrol Hike Will Further Deepen Poverty, Job Loss

Published

on

NLC kicks, Says Petrol Hike Will Further Deepen Poverty, Jobs Lost

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has kicked against the current petrol price hike, stressing that the latest increase in the pump price of petrol will further deepen poverty as production capacities dip.

The Congress added that the increase would lead to more job loss with multidimensional negative effects, and therefore, demanded its immediate reversal.

NLC’s position is contained in a statement signed by its President, Mr Joe Ajaero on Wednesday in Abuja, titled, “What next after increase in pump price?”.

The labour leader said the previous increases had not produced any good results, rather, people only got poorer.

He said the Congress was dismayed by the latest increase in the pump price of petrol without commensurate capacity of Nigerians or mitigatory measures.

“Even following the logic of market forces, we find it an aberration that a private company (NNPCL) is the one fixing prices and projecting itself as a hegemonic monopoly.

“We challenge the government to go to the drawing board and present us with a blueprint for inclusive economic growth and national development instead of this spasmodic ad hocism and palliative policy.

“It needs no stating the fact that the latest wave of increase has grossly altered the calculations of Nigerians once again at a time they were reluctantly coming to terms with their new realities,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had raised the pump price of petrol by 14.8 per cent to N1,030 per litre from N897 across its retail outlets in the FCT.

Earlier in September, the NNPCL had increased the price of the product from N615 to N897.

Continue Reading

Editor’s Pick

Politics