A group under the aegis of Biafra Provisional Government, has condemned the ongoing power blackout in Imo State resulting from the clash between Organized Labour and the Imo State Government.
The total blackout was imposed on the state capital and beyond by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and their counterpart the Trade Union Congress (TUC) following an alleged attack on NLC’s Joe Ajaero by some security personnel in the State.
Information Nigeria reports that the State Union shut down Egbu Transmission Station which is Enugu Electricity Distribution Company’s (EEDC) source of electricity supply, thereby leaving it with no energy to distribute to its customers, a development that has put the whole of Imo State in darkness.
The pro-Biafra group also accused NLC’s president, Joe Ajaero of using the ongoing power blackout in the state to gain cheap popularity.
According to the group, the Union is causing disaffection between the state government and the people of the state.
President of the group, Chile Nwoko, who spoke to newsmen in Owerri on Thursday, expressed shock at the punishment, sufferings, and hardship the decisions of the labour unions were bringing on the hapless people of the state.
While praying for the quick recovery of Ajaero from the injuries he sustained, Nwoko queried: “What message is Mr. Ajaero passing across to Imo masses. Is it to cause disaffection between the people and the state government while he is indirectly destroying them and their livelihood?
“We’re still wondering what Mr. Ajaero intends to gain. Cheap popularity? Bearing in mind that hospitality industry is the backbone of economy in Owerri, with the crushing cost of Diesel and gasoline, how will the hotels survive, and how do they pay their workers salaries.”
He lamented that by shutting down power supply, Ndigbo were now degenerating into contributing to their own sufferings in some percentage, after years of cries of marginalisation.
“This is baffling, not only to many who love the Igbo race, but their friends outside Igbo land,” Nwoko added.
He further lamented that every Monday, businesses were closed due to the order by IPOB, and now, Ajaero and his group inflicting more pains and losses to the people and the state.
“It is really painful that people are bringing businesses and development to their states to create jobs for the youths while Joe Ajaero is importing hardship on the state he claims he comes from. It is a shame.
“Shame on Mr. Ajaero and his Labour Congress. Let him and his Labour Union go to Lagos state where the state government is demolishing people’s properties without compensation.
“Let him call for industrial action in Lagos state which was developed by the general wealth of Nigeria because it was once the capital City of Nigeria which made people from different axis of Nigeria to settle there but are now being driven away through Xenophobia. He should take his men to Lagos and not Imo State,” he said.
Also, Southern Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, on Thursday, pleaded for a peaceful resolution between NLC, and the Imo state government.
Chairman of the Association, Oluchukwu Green Nnabugwu, made this appeal while speaking to newsmen in Owerri.
Oluchukwu, who is also the convener of Imo Christian Youth Peace Initiative (ICYPI) said: “CAN Sympathized with the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajero for the reported assault mounted on him in the state while reiterating that other measures of settlement could have been taken against the government or they could exploit other legal avenues like petitioning the police for investigations and then to court rather than allowing the masses which are supposed to be the utmost priority for the creation of the union, to languish in penury as a result of the shutdown action.
“Election time is always a sensitive period in every circle of government. There are things ordinarily one might want to do but considering that it is an election period, it will be shelved. Comrade Ajaero who is the National president of NLC has been doing well, and I sincerely sympathize with him over the unfortunate incident in his State but I feel that there is a lack of wisdom in his actions and his actions can be perceived to be suspicious.”
“If I were him I would never engage with Imo State Government directly being an indigene. I will send a delegation. It is not mandatory that the president of NLC must be on good terms with his own Governor because the relationship is not by force. But wisdom calls that the situation where the state is going through the electioneering process, security threats, and all that, I feel shutting down the state a few days to election is not the best solution to resolving the conflict.”
“Let me say this, NLC should watch it.. they are losing the support of people on this matter and soon their houses will scatter if care is not taken.
“I therefore call upon CAN and other religious and political associations to rise against the shutdown in other to avert untimely deaths of poor Imo indigenes and untold hardship. I also charge all eligible voters to come out en mass on Saturday, November 11 to vote for their preferred candidate,” he added.
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Reacting, the EEDC in a statement issued by the Head of Corporate Communications, Emeka Ezeh, on Thursday, described the situation which has lasted for nine days as unfortunate.
The distribution company explained that with EEDC’s source of power which is at Egbu Transmission Station shut down by the Labour Union, there was no way the company could get power to distribute to its customers in Imo State.
“We can only distribute the power that we receive from TCN Stations, and in this case, the station catering for our customers in Imo State has been shut down by the Labour Union,” Ezeh said.
He however acknowledged the untold hardship and inconveniences this development has caused the company, its staff residing in the state and esteemed customers in Imo State and expressed hope that the parties involved will resolve the issue so that normalcy can return to the state.
The EEDC spokesman stressed that the company is handicapped, losing revenue running into millions of Naira, and cannot do much in this circumstance.
“As a Distribution Company, our primary source of supply is from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Stations, and once there is disruption in the chain, we won’t be able to deliver service to our customers,” Ezeh explained.
Ezeh allayed the fears of customers who are concerned that they might be billed for the period they were out of supply, emphasizing that the company does not bill for service not rendered.
“The impact of the power outage currently experienced will reflect on the December bill, which will be for energy consumed in November.
“Whereas the November bill, which is for energy that has been consumed in October, has to be paid for by the customers, as it has no relation with the current power situation being experienced,” he added.
