From Tony Osauzo, Benin
There appears to be no end in sight to darkness in Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states, following the indefinite strike embarked upon by members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).
Though several meetings have been held between BEDC Electricity Plc and NUEE members, the workers have defied entreaties to call off the strike and return to work, insisting on their demand for salary harmonisation and an increase in their emoluments.
The management of BEDC Electricity Plc said the company had lost no less than two billion naira since NUEE commenced the strike in the early hours of Monday.
“All the meetings that have been called have failed. The workers insisted that they would not go back to work. The security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), have called several meetings, including late Tuesday night, that did not yield results,” a management member of staff of BEDC lamented yesterday.
The Edo State Chairman of NUEE, Williams Uwumarogie, did not respond to several calls made to his phone yesterday.
The state Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Hon Godwin Esheshie, was said to be on his way to Abuja for a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the matter.
Commenting on the industrial action by NUEE, the state Commissioner for Energy, Paul Usenbo, said the state government was concerned about the strike and that he was part of the meeting called by the DSS.
“The state is committed to ensuring that there is a resolution in respect of this matter. I have been on top of it, I was in the management and the union meeting yesterday, we have put in efforts to try and ensure that management resolves its issue.
“The two basic issues that have been very paramount in this discussion have been the harmonisation of salaries and an increment.
“As I speak to you, there is going to be a meeting held this afternoon in Abuja championed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Commissioner for Labour is en route for that mission as we speak,” Usenbo disclosed.
Several government offices were devoid of serious activities yesterday as generators were deployed to many of the offices as well as private commercial offices in Benin, just as many people were resorting to solar power as an alternative energy source.