Electricity supply disrupted activities in Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states on Monday following the shutdown of facilities belonging to BEDC Electricity Plc by members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) over disputes concerning workers’ emoluments and welfare packages.
The industrial action reportedly affected operations at the company’s headquarters in Benin City, Edo State, where union officials allegedly prevented employees from accessing the premises and shut down key operational facilities.
The development disrupted electricity supply across the four states from the early hours of Monday, while some BEDC workers were said to have left their offices ahead of schedule.
Sources within the company indicated that BEDC management was holding discussions with NUEE leaders in an attempt to resolve the disagreement.
A senior staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed surprise at the union’s action, claiming that management had recently reviewed workers’ emoluments.
The staff member also alleged that some union members harassed employees who attempted to record events during the shutdown.
Efforts to reach the Edo State Chairman of NUEE, Williams Uwumarogie, for comments were unsuccessful, as several calls to his telephone went unanswered.
However, the Acting Edo State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Bernard Egwakide, confirmed that the congress had previously intervened in the dispute between the union and BEDC management.
Egwakide said the outcome of the ongoing meeting between NUEE leaders and the company’s management would determine whether the NLC would intervene again.
“But right now, the leadership of NUEE is in a meeting with the management of the company. Let us see how far they can resolve it; that will determine if we will intervene,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, the outcome of the meeting between the union and BEDC management had not been established.
Credit: Super FM
