NLC strike: Blackout in Kaduna, business suffers

There has been total black in Kaduna State since Tuesday morning following the two-day strike action embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.  The blackout has affected businesses and households in the state and has caused undue hardship for citizens.   Recall that members […]

There has been total black in Kaduna State since Tuesday morning following the two-day strike action embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 

The blackout has affected businesses and households in the state and has caused undue hardship for citizens.  

Recall that members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Tuesday locked the main gate of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company forcing workers to stay away in compliance with the strike action.  

This has disrupted the power supply in the state for over 34 hours. 

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It was the same situation at Kaduna State High Court where the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) locked the court premises and barred the staff, litigants and even lawyers from gaining access to the court premises. 

When our correspondent visited the Kaduna State Secretariat where most of the ministries and other government agencies are located on Wednesday, the main gate was under lock and key while the offices were deserted.  

The strike also affected business activities at all banks and other financial institutions as they did not open, leaving customers stranded. 

The Kaduna State NLC chairman, Ayuba Suleiman, had warned that the union would declare an indefinite industrial action should the federal government fail to address the suffering of workers and other Nigerians due to the petrol subsidy removal. 

Speaking with Daily Trust, Malam Aminu Yunusa, who owns a butcher’s shop, said the power outage had caused a great loss in his business. 

“I was forced to sell my meat at a discounted rate just so I do not lose it because my generator is faulty,” he said. 

Yunusa called on the federal government to wade into the strike action and come to the negotiation table with the union so they do not lose more.

Another business owner, Maria Ngyan, who sells Ice blocks, said she had recorded losses due to the power outage. 

“I usually freeze many bags of ice blocks when there is an uninterrupted power supply, but unfortunately for me, this strike came up and I have lost all my investment in the ice block,” she lamented.