Organised
Labour yesterday shut down the Ikeja Electricity Plc over threat to
5,000 jobs due to the disconnection of two textile companies, Nichemtex
and Cotsyn, for the past three months.
This is even as the Ministry of Industry
tasked the electricity distribution company to reconnect the companies
to save the workers’ jobs while dialogue continues with all the
stakeholders today.
The National Union of Textile, Tailoring
and Garment Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), had barricaded the entrance of
the Ikeja Disco as early as 8am in protest over what it described as
insensitive and criminal disconnection of its members’ companies since
November 17, 2016.
The workers, led by the leadership of the
union and the employers’ body supported by a representative of the
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, had carried various placards
with inscriptions such as “No electricity, No industry, reconnect
Nichemtex Ikorodu”; “Save our jobs, save our industry! Reconnect
Nichemtex Ikorodu & Cotsyn Ilupeju”; “Ikeja Disco save our industry,
reconnect Nichemtex,” among others.
Recall that the workers had last month
marched on the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) head office to
compel the employers’ body to take action on the continued
disconnection of their companies, which has led to closure of the
factories due to the anomaly in the list of members sent to the
distribution company.
The workers said the Disco had
disconnected their companies because as members of MAN, the managements
have been paying under the old rate of MYTO 2.0, whereas the Disco
said what is expected of the company was payment under MYTO 2.1, which
is the new tariff.
The Genera Secretary of the union, Issa
Aremu, said that cutting electricity supply to the companies and forcing
them to shut production negates government policy to create jobs and
encourage local industries.
He said that it was wrong for Ikeja
Electric to disconnect manufacturing companies due to such minor issues
as differential in payment, while power was constantly supplied to some
government agencies who are owing billions of naira and not producing
anything.
Aremu said it showed that the electricity
company did not share the vision of President Muhammad Buhari in
creating jobs, as the action has rendered the workers redundant in spite
of the fact that there are raw materials to work.
“In November Nichemtex paid N47, and N50
million to the electricity company, still they refused to reconnect,
that is injustice and it shows that there is disconnect between
President Buhari and agencies representing his policies. Nichemtex is
the biggest textile industry in Africa, we cannot allow it to die”, he
said.
Aremu stressed that there are lots of
challenges facing the textile sector, but electricity is the most
critical, adding that the only palliative for the protesting workers was
for power supply to be reconnected to the companies.
Hamma Kwajaffa. Director General,
Nigerian Textile Manufacturing Association, who represented the
employers at the protest, also said that except the companies are
reconnected they would not be able to produce, pay their bills and may
soon be forced to embark on redundancy.
Kwajaffa said that the companies have
lost billions of naira as well as customers since they were
disconnected, more so during the festive period, which has always been
the peak of their production.
The Minister of State for Industry Trade
and Investment. Hajia Aisha Abubakar who was represented by a director,
Mr Barnabas Dejo pleaded with the electricity company to restore power
to enable the companies work and settle their debt.
Dejo said that power should be reconnected after which all parties would dialogue to find a lasting solution to the issue.
But according to the Head of Public
Communication of Ikeja Distribution company, Felix Ofulue, the
disconnection became necessary as Nichemtex’s debt now stood at N560
million.
“The company’s name was not part of the
list sent to us by MAN, but they’ve been paying on the old rate, so the
difference is quite huge and that is why they are disconnected. But
dialogue is on, we are ready to reconnect them, we want the management
to come and sign the payment plan”, he said.
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