By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja
Electricity workers, under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), have suspended their ongoing strike for 2 weeks.
The Reporters gathered that the decision of the union suspend the strike followed a meeting its members held with the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, Minister of Power, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, Minister of State for Power, Mr Goddy Jedy-Agba, and the representative of the Head of Service.
Our Correspondent also gathered that the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) as well as the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) were also present at the meeting.
According to NAN, the Chairman of FCT chapter of NUEE, who confirmed the development on Wednesday in Abuja,disclosed that all the issues were presented and a high power delegation was set up to look into the matter and report back within two weeks.
”On that premise, we decided to suspend the strike for two weeks pending when the issues will be resolved.’’
The Reporters recalls that NUEE had on Monday threatened to picket the headquarters of TCN over unmet demands of its workers.
It identified unpaid entitlements of some former staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria despite an agreement reached with the union in December 2019 as one of reasons behind the strike.
In a circular entitled “Call to Action”, the General Secretary of NUEE, Joe Ajaero, therefore, directed members of the union to ensure total compliance.
Our Correspondent reports that while the almost one day nation wide strike lasted, most business owners counted losses and private electricity consumers in Lokoja and its environs expressed worry over the development.
Consequently, many generators which have been resting as a result of Improved supply of electricity to consumers by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, in recent weeks in kogi state, resumed work in many of the business outfits and homes.
The online publication gathered that normal light is, however, yet to return to many homes in Lokoja as at the time of this report on Thursday morning despite the suspension of the strike.
Our Correspondent reports that light, however, returned to many areas of Lokoja at about 8.30 a.m on Thursday.
