Nationwide blackout as TCN shut down national grid

Electricity workers have shut down the national grid following the declaration of an indefinite strike by organized labour unions.

Ndidi Mbah, the spokesperson for Transmission Company of Nigeria, confirmed this on Tuesday.

According to her, electricity workers, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), followed directives of the Nigeria Labour Congress to withdraw their services around 11:20 am on Monday, leading to a nationwide blackout.

“Electricity workers are NLC members; they’ve followed the directive by organized labour to withdraw their services from Tuesday”, she stated.

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Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress announced a nationwide indefinite strike starting Tuesday despite a court order restraining the unions from doing so.

Reacting to the development, the Presidency, in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, said strike action by the unions was a flagrant disobedience to court order and a lack of respect for the judiciary.

Accordingly, the government expressed displeasure that the nation’s economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interest of any labour leader.

The unions’ last week issued a nationwide strike notice over an assault on Joe Ajaero, the President of NLC, on November 1 2023, in Imo State.