As men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) continue
to barricade entrance to the Transmission
Company of Nigeria (TCN) Headquarters in Abuja,
electricity workers said they are staying away from
work to avoid confrontation.

Daily Trust reports that while nine transmission
feeder pillars had tripped off on Friday morning
causing a gradual shade of blackout, three others
among the four in Abuja reportedly tripped off later
as there is no electricity worker to man the
operations at the TCN stations.

The workers said they were confronted by the
leadership of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works
and Housing over the takeover of the PHCN
building (TCN complex) when huge payments for
the workers after privatising the power sector are
still pending.

The national power grid has been struggling at
less than 3,500megawatts (mw) since March due
to pipeline vandalisms, officials said.

The situation is deteriorating over the declaration of
a total absence from work by the National Union of
Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Thursday over the
barricades to the TCN headquarters where they
work since Monday.

The Nigerian System Operator (NSO), a key section
of the TCN in charge of wheeling power generated
to the Distribution companies (Discos) seem to be
affected as it has failed to post the daily power
statistics for Friday.

Its grid operations report of Thursday indicates
that generation was at 3,403mw which was a
decline by over 60mw from the previous
generation report of Wednesday.

An official and top union member who pleaded
anonymity said the barricade to the TCN entrance
started since Monday midnight and has continued
despite the efforts of the union members to
dialogue with government officials.

Our reporter also observed the heavy presence of
policemen at the building in Abuja on Friday. It
was also learnt that security officers were drafted
to the Apo transmission station in Abuja where
power supply to the Federal Capital is being
controlled.

Daily Trust learnt that some officials of Manitoba
Hydro International Nigeria Limited (MHINL)
managing the TCN, have flown out of the country
as they could not have access to the premises to
work due to the barricade.

“We are not shutting down the power system,
gradually the system will shut down by itself as
Fashola and the police have prevented us from
entering our work place,” a union official who
confirmed the gradual blackout to Daily Trust said.



www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/exclusive-blackout-begins-as-police-sustain-lock-out-of-workers-at-tcn-offices/143661.html

Is Fashola truely minister of darkness?

Surely there must be a reason why they are not allowed in