The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Tuesday described as “false and misleading” a report claiming it had shut down the national grid over the union strike.
An online media had earlier reported that the TCN had shut down the national network in compliance with union leaders’ directives.
But in his reaction, TCN Public Affairs General Manager Ndidi Mbah, in a statement, said the national grid is intact and is supplying bulk electricity to distribution load centers across the country.
“The Nigerian Broadcasting Company hereby declares that the Daily Post publication alleging that the Head of Public Affairs of TCN said there will be a national blackout is false and totally misleading,” he said.
He explained that the claim is malicious and baseless as TCN, through the Head of Public Affairs, made no such statement.
“We hereby note that the country’s grid is intact and is supplying bulk electricity to distribution load centers across the country.
“At the time of issuing this statement, TCN’s Osogbo National Control Centre, which controls bulk power transmission across the country, is in active operation.
“We would appreciate if reports are made with a sense of responsibility and not just to cause panic,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Electrical Employees (NUEE) had earlier ordered its members to begin full mobilization to ensure compliance with the directive of the Nigerian unions to embark on a nationwide strike.
The NUEE, in a notice signed on Monday by its acting secretary-general, Dominic Igwebike, urged its members to comply with the directive and stop work from the early hours of Tuesday.
The strike by NUEE members could throw the country into darkness, given the critical role of workers in the distribution of electricity in the country.
He Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) declared a strike, following the brutality suffered by the NLC Chairman, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State on November 1.
Ajaero was attacked in Owerri, the state capital, during an NLC protest against the Imo State government over alleged mistreatment of workers in the state.
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On Monday, unions ordered their members to stop working nationwide starting Tuesday.
This is despite the restraining order issued on Friday by the National Labor Court, Abuja, which prevented the unions from embarking on the strike. Judge Benedict Kanyip ordered the two main unions to end their strike scheduled for November 14.
The interim order came following an ex parte request by the Nigerian government through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, due to the threat by the unions to go on strike.
