Pegasus Reporters Issues on the Wing
“The statement read, “The NLC has declared an indefinite strike action beginning from Monday, 3rd June 2024, as a result of the failure of Government to conclude the renegotiation of minimum wage for Nigerian workers and reversal of hike in electricity tariff. Our branches are hereby enjoined to join in the strike action as an affiliate member of Congress.”
PEGASUS REPORTERS, LAGOS | JUNE 3, 2024
Nigerian academic communities have joined in the ongoing nationwide strike called by the organised labour comprising Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
A statement addressed to the branch chairpersons and zonal coordinators of ASUU on Monday by the association’s President, Emmanuel Osodeke, directed lecturers in universities across the country to join the strike as an affiliate of the congress.
The statement read, “The NLC has declared an indefinite strike action beginning from Monday, 3rd June 2024, as a result of the failure of Government to conclude the renegotiation of minimum wage for Nigerian workers and reversal of hike in electricity tariff.
“Our branches are hereby enjoined to join in the strike action as an affiliate member of Congress.
“Consequently, branch chairpersons are to mobilise all members to participate in the strike action. Yours in the struggle.”
Nigeria’s labour unions on Monday commenced a nationwide strike amid uncertainties.
In the same vein, electricity workers have shut down the National Grid in compliance with the joint directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to down tools on Monday over the new minimum wage.
TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, disclosed this in a statement Monday. Ms Mbah said the national grid shutdown occurred at about 2.19 a.m. on Monday.
TCN said workers were driven away from their duty posts while others were beaten and wounded at some power facilities. It added that all its efforts at grid recovery were being frustrated by the unionists.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby informs the general public that the Labour Union has shut down the national grid, resulting in blackout nationwide. The national grid shutdown occurred at about 2.19 am this morning, 3rd June 2024.
“At about 1:15 am this morning, the Benin Transmission Operator under the Independent System Operations unit of TCN reported that all operators were driven away from the control room and that staff that resisted were beaten while some were wounded in the course of forcing them out of the control room and without any form of control or supervision, the Benin Area Control Center was brought to zero.
“Other transmission substations that were shut down, by the Labour Union include the Ganmo, Benin, Ayede, Olorunsogo, Akangba and Osogbo Transmission Substations. Some transmission lines were equally opened due to the ongoing activities of the labour union.
“On the power generating side, power generating units from different generating stations were forced to shut down some units of their generating plants, the Jebba Generating Station was forced to shut down one of its generating units while three others in the same substation subsequently shut down on very high frequency. The sudden forced load cuts led to high frequency and system instability, which eventually shut down the national grid at 2:19am.
“At about 3.23am, however, TCN commenced grid recovery, using the Shiroro Substation to attempt to feed the transmission lines supplying bulk electricity to the Katampe Transmission Substation. The situation is such that the labour Union is still obstructing grid recovery nationwide.
“We will continue to make effort to recover and stabilize the grid to enable the restoration of normal bulk transmission of electricity to distribution load centres nationwide,” TCN stated.
The nationwide strike was declared by the unions to compel the government to agree on a new minimum wage for workers and review the increase in the price of electricity for some consumers.
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Editor’s Titbits: A video clip from Governor Adeleke’s birthday in Government House, Osogbo
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