Nationwide Blackout, Fuel Scarcity Loom Over Indefinite Strike
There are indications that Nigerians will experience nationwide blackout and fuel scarcity in the coming days as the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas, NUPENG, have commenced mobilization in compliance with the planned indefinite strike declared by organized labour unions.
Dominic Igwebike, NUEE’s acting general secretary, urged members to stop work from the early hours of Tuesday.
The NUEE’s call on its members to join the planned indefinite strike comes on the heels of a similar call by NUPENG on its members to withdraw their services, raising fears of possible fuel scarcity across the country.
The development comes as the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, declared an indefinite nationwide strike to pressure the government to address the hardships associated with the removal of fuel subsidy.
The NUEE members’ strike could throw the country into darkness, given the workers’ critical roles in electricity distribution in the country.
Ibom Focus recalls that the country experienced a total blackout during the NLC two-day warning strike on September 5th and 6th.
On Tuesday, the TUC and the NLC announced the decision to embark on an indefinite strike from 3 October over the prevailing hardship due to the removal of subsidy on petrol.
Meanwhile, Naija News House reports that, in a last minute move to avert the indefinite strike, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Bako Lalong, oh Friday invited organized labour for talks.
