08 March 2016, Lagos – Electricity consumers under the network of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC, Tuesday called on the government to intervene in the ongoing crisis between the management of the company and labour union to save their businesses from incurring further losses due to lack of power supply.
Labour leaders under the auspice of Electricity Employees Union of Nigeria and its affiliate labour unions have continued barricade of the energy company’s offices since Tuesday.
Some of the residents of Alausa, Egbeda, Agege, Ikorodu, Oke-Odo, Iyano-Ipaja. Ojota, Oregun and Ikeja axis, who spoke with Vanguard, argued that the power situation has gone worse amidst the labour crises.
According to Mr. Obinna Chika, a resident at Ikeja said “We don’t understand the rivalry between the union and Ikeja electric. Because as it stands, power supply has gone from bad to worse within the last three days in this axis.
“We believe that there are better ways of resolving the rift between them order than taking it at the detriment of the general customers at large. It is also believed that the best way for such to be resolve is simply by engaging the Discos in dialogue.”
This was even as businesses, according to our investigation, experienced difficult time following the ongoing labour crises.
The management of Toshine Ventures at Ikeja, Mr Samson Okeke, raise alarm over the deteriorating state in power delivery for the past two days.
“We have been subjected to difficult times in the power sector. For the past two days, we have had to contend with poor power supply, whereby hindering our production and increasing our cost.
“Prior to this time, Ikeja districts enjoyed the delivery for up to seven hours to 12 hours in 24 hours a day. With this statistics, we ensure to beat production on time so we could spend less on diesel for the remaining two hours of our working day.
“But the situation has changed as we have spent over N500,000 on diesel to power our generating set. There is need for the organised labour to as a matter of urgency come to a compromise with the authorities of the Ikeja discos before we lose more to diesel in such a time as our economy”.
The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Madelson Prints, Dr. Elvenly Marcus maintained that the cost of printing materials has gone up against the Forex challenges in the country, adding that more cost for power it generating set would result to unprecedented disaster in the system.
“I would appeal to both parties to come to a round table and settle these crises before it get bad. Already the cost of getting printing materials is on the high side due to the Forex imbalance in the system.
“We can’t afford more expenses in the system. Since the crises erupted, the amount we have spent is quite alarming to mention and if the crises does not stop, we can’t imagine what will be spent on diesel.
A cold-room owner, Jide Oluwakemi, at Ile-Epo market of Oke-Odo area of Alimosho local government area lamented the negative impact of the strike embarked upon by the electricity works on his business.
He told our reporters that he has to continue running generator in order to sustain the business in the last two days. “Although the electricity situation here was not too impressive but we use to have some six to eight hour supply daily which helps to reduce the cost of running the generators,” he told our reporter.
– Vanguard