Experts have denounced the action of electricity workers to embark on strike, calling for appropriate prosecution to be meted out to them for what they described as criminal.
On Wednesday, the country was plunged into dense darkness as the electricity workers under the auspices of the Transmission Company of Nigeria directed its workers to embark on an indefinite strike.
The strike initially, according to the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), was said to be over unfavourable policies but reports will later emerge that the workers had decided to go on strike in a bid to avoid compulsory promotional interview.
The government, in the recognition of the security, social and economic implication of the strike waded into the situation as it entered into a four-hour reconciliation meeting to rescue the country from the selfish claws of the union.
The workers have since received knocks for an action that has come to be unanimously regarded among Nigerians as foolishly selfish of the said civil servants.
Many have lambasted them for having the temerity to weaponize a national asset such as the power grid just so they could avert a compulsory promotional interview for principal managers from taking place.
In an interview with Arise TV on Friday, FMR National Commissioner, NREC. Eyo Ekpo described such act as an economic sabotage and an act of terrorism of which its perpetrators deserve to face the law.
“We have a law on our books called the Trade Dispute Essential Service Act. It is a 46-year-old piece of legislation. It is very clear on certain services that are regarded as essential to the lifeblood of our socio-economic life as a country. And one of those is electricity, and I am sure those who run the NUEE are fully aware of this. And in spite of that they went ahead to do what they have done.
“We have laws on terrorism and economic sabotage. When you act in this manner, if you want to be extreme, and I wouldn’t say it is extreme, it can be defined as economic sabotage, it can be defined as an act of terrorism. People have been dealt with for doing lot less. I don’t think it is really arguable that what happened on Wednesday particularly given the reasons that were stated in writing by the leader of the NUEE, Mr. Joe Ajaero are tenable and can be defined as anything but criminal in nature.”
The power generation was gathered to have crashed below 4,000 megawatts with many businesses and other power consumers left to wonder what must have gone wrong as they counted losses to tunes of millions.
It will also be recalled that not only did the workers exploit the national grid to advance their selfish interest, they also recorded videos of shutting down the national asset, making them go viral, caring less of the security breaches such action was tantamount to.
A power infrastructure expert, Engr. Oluwole Kayode also called for punitive actions to the workers for choosing an inappropriate channel to express their grievances.
He called on the federal government to track down all culpable for such unpatriotic action and have them face the wrath of the law for choosing to abuse a national infrastructure.
He said, “What happened between Tuesday and Wednesday is unacceptable. The electricity workers union must change its ways and stay clear of tampering with crucial national infrastructure like the national grid from being used for labour politics.
On his part, an electricity consultant, Malam Mustapha called on the National Assembly to see this as a wake-up call to reform the labour laws to ensure that an all-important infrastructure like national grid does not get to be used for labour bargains.
He said that just like healthcare and security, electricity should be excluded from strikes in the light of its overwhelming and sensitive impacts.
He said, “The National Union of Electricity Employees has committed what can best be described as economic sabotage. What happened is dangerous and should not be allowed to happen again.”
Other Nigerians have also taken to the popular social media network, Twitter to call out the electricity workers for such reprehensible acts.
Popular Nigerian journalist, Frederick Nwabufo @FrederickNwabufo tweeted, “Electricity workers want promotion interview for principal managers suspended. And they think the best way to press their demand is to plunge the entire country into darkness – not minding the security and economic implications. This is against national interest.”
Another journalist, Gimba Kakanda @Gimbakakanda wrote, “You were asked to “appear for promotion interview” and you shut down the nation’s electricity like a bunch of kids afraid of losing their toys – all to force your employer to sustain the mediocrity that’s kept you in a public service that’s the world’s largest charity organization.”