The strike action embarked upon by Nigerian electricity workers have been suspended nationwide. The strike action led to total blackout in different parts of Nigeria.
The workers under the joint umbrella of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEC) agreed to suspend the industrial action following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige.
Ngige summoned an emergency conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the electricity workers on Wednesday to resolve the issues that precipitated the industrial action.
The allegetions include the contravention of their Conditions of Service and Career Progression, stigmatisation of electricity staff by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and refusal of the market operators to fund the payment of entitlements of ex-PHCN staff as agreed in the December 2019.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting that lasted for about four hours, the President of NUEE, Comrade Joe Ajero, said they have been asked to suspend their strike action.
Ajaero expressed hope that the Federal Government would act in good faith on the issues in dispute which have lingered for years.
He said they would take a pause on the industrial action and wait for two weeks as agreed in the meeting for the government to address their grievances.
The President of SSAEC, Comrade Chika Ben assured the nation that the matter would be nipped in the bud before it escalates, adding that there would be no further blackout in any part of the country.
After exhaustive deliberations on the issues in dispute, the minister briefed journalist on the outcome of the meeting, saying they agreed to constitute a bipartite committee to look into the grievances of the electricity workers and report back in two weeks.
According to Ngige, the members of the bipartite committee include the Minister of State for Power, Jeddy Agba(Chairman), Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Permanent Secretary, General Services, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, representative of BPE and two representatives from NUEE and SSAEC.
The Minister said the committee has two weeks to report back to the whole house.
He said the meeting afforded them opportunity to thrash out all the issues in dispute.
In attendance at the meeting were the Minister of State, Power, Prince Jeddy Agba, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ms. Daju Kachollom, Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz and the Chairman of TCN Board , Imamuddeen Talba.
Also represented were the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) and Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
weeks.
According to Ngige, the members of the bipartite committee include the Minister of State for Power, Jeddy Agba(Chairman), Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Permanent Secretary, General Services, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, representative of BPE and two representatives from NUEE and SSAEC.
