Electricity supply was disrupted across Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states following a protest by workers of BEDC Electricity Plc.
The blackout affected residents and businesses in the affected states, with the electricity workers protesting over emoluments and welfare packages.
At the Benin headquarters of BEDC, members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) reportedly prevented some staff from entering the premises and shut down key operational facilities. The action, which began in the early hours of Monday, disrupted electricity supply across the company’s coverage area.
Some BEDC workers reportedly left their offices earlier than usual as the protest continued, while the company’s management was said to be meeting with NUEE representatives to resolve the disagreement.
A senior BEDC staff member, who spoke t on condition of anonymity, expressed surprise at the union’s action, claiming that the company’s management had recently reviewed workers’ emoluments.
“We are surprised at their action, some of them even harassed some of our staff trying to record their actions. The current management recently reviewed their emoluments, I am surprised that they shut down facilities of the company,” the staff member said.
Efforts to reach Williams Uwumarogie, the Edo State chairman of NUEE, were unsuccessful, as several calls to his telephone were not answered.
Meanwhile, the acting state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Bernard Egwakide, confirmed that the labour body had previously intervened in the dispute.
He said the outcome of the meeting between NUEE and BEDC management would determine whether further intervention was necessary.
“But right now, the leadership of NUEE is in a meeting with the management of the company, let us see how far they can resolve it, that will determine if we will intervene,” Egwakide said.
