ABUJA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Electricity workers in Nigeria on Thursday said they have suspended a nationwide strike that began Wednesday, causing blackouts and worsening power supply in parts of the most populous African country.
Joe Ajaero, secretary-general of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), said at a press conference in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, that the strike was suspended for two weeks after a meeting with government negotiators led by Minister of Labor Chris Ngige late Wednesday.
"The government has promised to resolve the issues raised by the union within two weeks. If our demands are not met, the strike will resume," said Ajaero.
According to him, the union and the government had agreed to set up a bipartite committee to analyze the issues raised by the electricity workers.
The NUEE said in a statement Wednesday that it had withdrawn its services at the headquarters of the Transmission Company of Nigeria in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, calling for payment of outstanding arrears owed to workers, reversal of promotion interviews for acting principal managers, among other long-pending issues.
The strike, following a two-week ultimatum by the NUEE, was in line with a directive of the union's national leadership. Transmission stations were picketed on Wednesday to disrupt the electricity supply.
Parts of the country began to bear the brunt of power blackouts due to the strike on Wednesday.
Ajaero said electricity would be restored across the nation from Thursday.
Minister of Power Abubakar Aliyu told reporters in Abuja on Wednesday that the government was working to resolve the crisis, adding that consultations were ongoing among critical stakeholders in the power sector to address the issue and restore supply. ■
