September 23, (THEWILL) –The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has threatened to shut down the national grid, following the failure of the Federal Government to meet its demands.
The union, had on August 17, 2022, suspended its strike, as the government called for truce and promised to address their grievances.
In its appraisal of the suspended strike, the union said the government was yet to meet their demands two weeks after it agreed to do so.
NUEE, therefore, threatened to call out its members for another industrial action.
The union’s Zonal Organising Secretary, North West Zone, Comrade Dukat Ayuba, stated these at a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday.
Dukat, who berated the government over the privatisation of the power sector since October 2013, said the privatisation of the distribution sector was a sham because nothing had changed, nine years after it was taken over by investors.
“That was why we kicked against privatising the distribution sector because the investors don’t have the capacity and expertise…we advised the government against it, but the government was hell-bent on doing so.
“The investors are still operating with obsolete equipment dating back to 35, 40, and 50 years. One will expect that with the coming of the investors, they will replace this obsolete equipment, but nothing has been done”, he said, adding that a two-week ultimatum given to address the problem had passed.
According to the union leader, the country continues to generate 5,000 megawatts of electricity, “the same megawatts that have always been produced.”
So, what is the advantage of privatisation?, We now generate megawatts with higher tariffs. Bringing hardships to the homes of millions of Nigerians. This will only happen in Nigeria”, he stressed.
On his part, a member of the Central Executive Committee, Comrade Wisdom Nwachukwu, warned that the union would not allow the Federal Government to sell the Nigerian Transmission Company (TCN).
