Members of National Union of Electricity Employees in Osun State has joined the warning strike called by the national leadership of the Nigerian labour Congress (NLC) to protest the negative impacts of the removal of subsidy. Punch reported that some workers of Oshogbo Region Transmission Company of Nigeria were locked out of the premises. Some branches of commercial banks in the city did not open to customers while some opened for business. Security presence was also observed at Old Garage, Oke-Fia, Olaiya areas. Meanwhile, the Oshogbo head office of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company had its entrance locked and a worker who spoke on the condition of anonymity said workers had joined the warning strike. Some of the workers at the Oshogbo Region Transmission Company said there might be disruption in power supply due to the strike. They lamented that the removal of fuel subsidy and the government’s lack of concrete plans to cushion the effects of the removal and ameliorate the hardship it has put many Nigerians in. The Vice president West of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Comrade Sodiq Adewale said members of his union being an affiliate of NLC complied with the directive to down tools. “So far from our end, we have a total compliance. Nobody is saying there is going to be a disruption of power, but our men are out. We are not tampering with anything. Generally, look at the economy. We are talking about palliatives, it has to be fast. How long will it take the process to be implemented? They have to fast track whatever processes they are working on to alleviate the suffering of the masses.’’

The State NLC acting Chairperson, Modupe Oyedele said the demands of the striking workers is the hike in PMS, which is making lives of Nigerians to be somehow difficult. Oyedele also said the interference of FG in NURTW crisis whereby the national secretariat of the body was taken over. Oyedele maintained that every workforce under NLC is in full compliance with the strike action except those who are not members of NLC.

SOURCE: PUNCH