Imo State Plunged Into Darkness As Electricity Workers Protest Nlc President’s Abduction
Imo State residents have been experiencing a total blackout since Thursday, November 2, as electricity workers withdrew their services in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, who was abducted and brutalized by security agents in the state.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) issued a directive on Wednesday, November 1, to all its members to stop all electricity services until the NLC President was released and an adequate explanation was given by the Nigerian Government.
The NUEE said it could not be at work while the NLC President was incarcerated, and it could not be at peace when the rights of the workers in Imo State were being trampled on with utmost impunity.
The NUEE also said that the strength and integrity of its union were at stake, and urged its members to ensure total compliance with the directive.
The directive was carried out in Imo State on Thursday, November 2, according to a letter signed by Dominic Igwebike, the Acting Secretary of the NUEE.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, was abducted by security agents on Wednesday, November 1, when he and other NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) leaders were at the State Secretariat in Owerri to kick off a planned protest for Thursday, November 2, and a potential strike due to various grievances against the Imo State government.
The Imo State government under Governor Hope Uzodinma has been accused of multiple offences against workers and pensioners, including unpaid salaries, outstanding allowances, discriminatory pay practices, non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage, harassment of trade union leaders, use of violence and intimidation, mismanagement of union funds, destruction of the NLC state secretariat, and systematic intimidation of the workforce .
The NLC and TUC have also accused the state government of failing to honour previous agreements, withholding salary payments, wrongfully labelling workers as ghost employees, declaring pensioners as non-existent employees, neglecting pensioners, and reluctance to engage in discussions .
As of Thursday morning, November 2, there are reports that the NLC President, Joe Ajaero is currently hospitalized, fighting to save his right eye after the violent events that occurred on Wednesday, November 1.
