The Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has suspended its planned industrial action following the intervention of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, averting what could have resulted in a nationwide blackout.
On September 25, the NUEE had directed its members to withdraw their services across the country.
However, on Thursday, the association called off the strike after an agreement was reached at an emergency meeting convened by the ministry in Abuja.
The meeting brought together the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the National Independent System Operator (NISO), and representatives of the Ministry of Labour.
At the end of the talks, the parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), resolving that the unions would consider a committee report on October 6 and October 7 for possible implementation within the month.
The document, seen by TheCable, stated that the TCN and the NISO would meet to “evaluate the financial implication of the report and prepare an implementation plan to be discussed with the minister and the unions.”
The MoU also mandated the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to expedite its review of tariffs for the TCN and the NISO to support the process, while further demanding that no employee would be victimised for participating in the action.
Based on the agreement reached, the union agreed to “suspend their action to allow these resolutions to be activated.”
