Electricity supply has been disrupted across Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states following an industrial action by workers under the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) over disputes concerning salaries, allowances and welfare packages.
The workers reportedly shut down critical facilities operated by BEDC Electricity Plc on Monday, affecting power distribution across the company’s four-state franchise area.
At BEDC’s headquarters in Benin City, Edo State, union officials allegedly prevented employees from entering the premises and shut down key operational facilities, triggering the disruption from the early hours of the day.
The action also forced some workers to leave their offices earlier than usual as efforts to resolve the dispute continued.
A senior BEDC staff member expressed surprise at the union’s decision, claiming that the company’s management had recently reviewed workers’ emoluments.
The official also alleged that some union members harassed employees who attempted to record their activities during the shutdown.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Chairman of NUEE, Williams Uwumarogie, could not be reached for comments despite several attempts to contact him.
The Acting Edo State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Bernard Egwakide, confirmed that the labour dispute had previously attracted the congress’s intervention.
Egwakide said NUEE leaders were meeting with BEDC management to find a resolution, adding that the outcome of the discussions would determine whether the NLC would intervene again.
The dispute has raised concerns among residents and businesses in the affected states, where electricity supply is essential for household activities, commercial operations and industrial production.
However, the duration of the disruption and when normal electricity supply would be restored remained uncertain at the time of reporting.
The shutdown underscores the potential impact of unresolved labour disputes on essential services, particularly when industrial action affects critical electricity distribution infrastructure.
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