Ikeja Electric to negotiate with labour to end picketing of facilities

Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) says it will enter into negotiation with the organised labour to end the continued picketing of its facilities in Lagos.

Members of civil society groups under the aegis of Citizens’ Access to Electricity Initiatives (CATEIN) have been picketing the facilities of Ikeja Electric since Monday, leading to the near total grounding of the company’s operations.

CATEIN is accusing the Disco of rejecting load from transmission, over-billing of customers, long hours of power outage, and non-provision of prepaid meters, among several other ills.

It would be recalled that organised labour also picketed Disco on an allegation of unlawful sack of 400 workers. The action was suspended after three days to allow for a negotiation with the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). The Disco later withdrew from the negotiation saying they were not making progress.

Felix Ofolue, head, public communication of Ikeja Electric, told journalists on Wednesday that the company would resume discussion with the unions to find a lasting solution to the lingering dispute.

However, Joseph Emmanuel, general secretary of CATEIN, who is leading the onslaught against Ikeja Electric, said the picketing would continue until the company met their demands, which include stoppage of “crazy” billing of customers, improved supply and provision of prepared meters to customers.