Nationwide Blackout Looms As Electricity Workers Join Labour Strike

A nationwide blackout is imminent as electricity workers have vowed to down tools from Sunday midnight, joining the indefinite strike action called by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.

The acting General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Dominic Igwebike, disclosed this in a notice on Friday.

The development comes in compliance with the indefinite strike action by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress over the failure of the federal government to sign and implement a new minimum wage and the reversal of the April 3, 240 percent electricity tariff hike.

“The withdrawal of services becomes effective Sunday 2nd June by midnight”, the notice stated.

organized labor announced the commencement of the indefinite strike starting on Monday.

The strike is in protest of the federal government’s failure to sign and implement a new minimum wage and the reversal of the recent 240% electricity tariff hike. The government’s proposed minimum wage of N60,000 has been rejected by organized labor, which is demanding N400,000.

Nigerian workers are also using the strike to press home their demand for the immediate reversal of the electricity tariff to N65 kilowatt-hour from the current N208.80.