EEDC explains how it has been left with no energy to distribute to its customers, a development that has left the whole of Imo State in a persistent blackout.
Electricity distribution company (DisCo), the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), says the persistent power outage in Imo State, is a fallout of a strike action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is beyond its control.
The EEDC's Head of Corporate Communications, Emeka Ezeh, said this in a statement issued in Owerri, the state capital on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the organised labour in Imo State, on Tuesday, 1 November, shut down Egbu Transmission Station, which is EEDC's source of electricity supply, thereby leaving it with no energy to distribute to its customers, a development that has left the whole of Imo State in a blackout.
Governor Hope Uzodinma, who is at loggerheads with the labour in the state, is seeking reelection in Saturday's governorship election.
EEDC had, about a week ago, blamed the power outage in the state on the labour strike.
Mr Ezeh, again on Thursday, described the situation as unfortunate and explained that with EEDC's source of power which is at Egbu Transmission Station shut down by the Labour Union, there was no way the company could get power to distribute to its customers in Imo.
"We can only distribute the power that we receive from stations operated by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and in this case, the station catering for our customers in Imo has been shut down by the Labour Union," he said.
He sympathised with the company's customers in Imo State over the inconveniences the development had caused them and expressed hope that the parties involved would resolve their differences for normalcy to return to the state.
He also said that the company was handicapped, losing revenue running into millions of Naira, and could not do much in the present circumstance.
"As a Distribution Company, our primary source of supply is from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Stations, and once there is disruption in the chain, we won't be able to deliver service to our customers," he said.
Mr Ezeh allayed the fears of customers who were concerned that they might be billed for the period they were out of supply, emphasising that "the company does not bill for service not rendered."
He added: "The impact of the power outage currently experienced will reflect on the December bill, which will be for energy consumed in November.
"Whereas the November bill, which is for energy that has been consumed in October, has to be paid for by the customers, as it has no relation with the current power situation being experienced."
He, however, urged customers to remain vigilant and ensure that the transformer and other electricity infrastructure serving them are protected, as vandals might want to take advantage of the outage to attack the equibases.
Background
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had called on workers in Imo State to embark on a state-wide strike on 1 November.
While declaring the strike on Sunday, the president of NLC, Joe Ajaero, said the industrial action was in protest against "the persistent and egregious violations of the rights and privileges of workers in Imo State by the State Government."
"As a result, we are left with no choice but to embark on mass protests and industrial actions beginning on the 1st day of November 2023," Mr Ajaero said.
There was an uproar in the state on the day the strike and industrial action began, with some thugs and police officers reportedly attacking Mr Ajaero and other members of the NLC who had assembled at the union's council secretariat ahead of their planned protest in the state.
The national leadership of the NLC later alleged that Mr Ajaero was arrested by police operatives in the state.
The union also accused the state governor, Mr Uzodinma, of mobilising the thugs and the officers to attack and arrest the NLC president to frustrate the planned protest in the state.
But the police later denied arresting Mr Ajaero, saying they only placed him in protective custody to shield him from attack by the thugs.
On his part, Governor Uzodinma, who is seeking reelection in the upcoming poll in the state, blamed Mr Ajaero for his alleged partisanship in the state.
"What has happened in this ugly coincidence is that the national president of the Nigeria Labour Congress is from Imo state and has not been able to demarcate the difference between being a national leader of an organisation and then an interested party in local politics," Mr Uzodinma said at the presidential villa on Thursday in Abuja after receiving the flag of his party, the All Progressives Congress, from President Bola Tinubu, as a mark of endorsement for the governor's reelection bid.
National strike over attack
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The NLC along with the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has now threatened to embark on a national strike from Tuesday, 14 November, over the attack on Mr Ajaero.
The leadership of the two unions reached the resolution after an extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
In a communique issued after the NEC meeting and signed by Adewale Adeyanju, NLC Deputy President and Festus Osifo of the TUC, the unions said it resolved to order the immediate withdrawal of services and shutdown of Imo State beginning at midnight Tuesday.
"All workers and affiliates are expected to ensure compliance from wherever they are. All flights into and out of Imo state, fuel supplies and electricity be stopped immediately as applicable. All Public and Private Sector workers are to immediately down tools indefinitely.
"That if our demands are still unmet, workers all over the federation shall join in withdrawing their services by Midnight Tuesday, the 14th of November, 2023.
"All State Councils of NLC & TUC and affiliates are by this resolution mandated to ensure full compliance with NEC's decision," the unions said.
(NAN)
