The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Monday, November 11, staged a protest at Ikeja Electric, one of Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies, over what the union perceived as the poor welfare of employees.
The protest, which took place at Ikeja Electric’s headquarters in Lagos, brought operations to a halt as the protesters took over the office.
Speaking on behalf of the workers, the Assistant General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Comrade Mbang Ntukubes, conveyed the frustration of the electricity workers during an interview with journalists.
Ntukubes decried the poor treatment of the electricity workers by the management, saying, “There is significant disagreement here. This place has essentially become a slave camp, with management treating workers like slaves.”
He accused the management of defaulting on their agreement, noting, “They have abandoned all the provisions we agreed upon.”
Ntukubes lamented the management’s unwillingness to engage in meaningful discussions with the Labour Congress regarding the new minimum wage.
He added, “They dismiss employees arbitrarily and promote only those they choose, ignoring the terms of the service agreement. When it comes to the new minimum wage, they are unwilling to engage in meaningful discussions.”
According to Ntukubes, this situation has persisted for nearly two years without resolution, stressing that, “Despite our efforts to address these concerns, management shows no willingness to listen.”
The secretary revealed that the protest was a direct response to Ikeja Electric’s continued refusal to reach a peaceful resolution with the union.
He explained, “Management has yet to clearly state the reasons behind their actions. We held a meeting on Friday, but it ended without any resolution. The current unrest is a direct response to our unsuccessful attempts to resolve these issues amicably.”
He revealed that the government and the Department of State Services (DSS) have swung into action to resolve the dispute.
“The discussions are now being mediated by the government. The DSS has invited us to explore potential middle ground,” he concluded.
