…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.