Nationwide Blackout Looms As Electricity Workers Give FG 7-Days To Meet ASUU’s ‘Legitimate’ Demands

In solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has given the Federal Government seven days to resolve the ongoing strike or face a total shut down of electricity facilities in the country.

This latest show of solidarity is coming on the heels of similar warnings given by the Nigerian union of Teachers, NUT, and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, which have both given indication that they will down tools if the strike is not resolved soon enough.

NUEE, while justifying its decision to cause nationwide blackout in solidarity with the striking varsity lecturers, said that it could no longer sit back and watch those in positions of authority destroy the future of young Nigerians, who have remained at home for weeks on account of the Federal Government’s refusal to meet the legitimate demands by ASUU.

General Secretary of NUEE, Mr Joe Ajaero, who spoke at a training workshop for labour leaders in the power sector in Enugu, said that electricity workers across the country would be directed to join other progressive labour unions “to shut down the country” as a way of showing their displeasure over the lingering face-off between the Federal Government and the academic staff.

“We can no longer sit back and watch this disturbing drama going on between the Federal government and ASUU.  If the strike is not addressed within the next one week, NUEE and other progressive unions will shut down the country,” Mr. Ajaero said.