Apro-Biafra group, the Biafra Provisional Government, has condemned the ongoing power blackout in Imo state resulting from the clash between the organized labour and the operatives of the state police command.
The organised labour union had last week shut down Egbu Transmission Station, in Imo state which is EEDC’s source of electricity supply, thereby leaving it with no energy to distribute to its customers, a development that has put the whole of Imo state in darkness.
The total blackout was imposed on the state capital and beyond by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and their counterpart the Trade Union Congress (TUC) following an attack on Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe AJaero by some security personnel in the state. The group also accused the national president of NLC, Mr. Joe Ajaero of using the ongoing power blackout in the state to gain cheap popularity and cause disaffection between the state government and the people of the state.
The president of Biafra’s Provisional Government, Dr Chile Nwoko, who spoke to newsmen in Owerri on Thursday, November 9, expressed shock at the punishment, sufferings, and hardship the decisions of the labour unions were bringing on the hapless people of the state.
While praying for the quick recovery of Ajaero from the injuries he sustained, Nwoko also accused him of attempting to use the blackout to cast aspersion on the people of the Imo state by bringing hardship on them.
He said: “What message is Mr. Ajaero passing across to Imo masses? Is it to cause disaffection between the people and the state government while he is indirectly destroying them and their livelihood?“We’re still wondering what Mr. Ajaero intends to gain. Cheap popularity? Bearing in mind that the hospitality industry is the backbone of the economy in Owerri, with the crushing cost of Diesel and gasoline, how will the hotels survive, and how do they pay their workers’ salaries.”
He lamented that by shutting down the power supply, Ndigbo were now degenerating intoNwoko said: “This is baffling, not only to many who love the Igbo race but also their friends outside Igbo land.”
Dr. Nwoko lamented that every Monday, businesses were closed due to the order by IPOB, and now comes Mr. Ajaero and his group inflicting more pain and losses to the people and the state. He expressed that it is unpatriotic of Mr. Ajaero.
He said: “It is really painful that people are bringing businesses and development to their states to create jobs for the youths while Joe Ajaero is importing hardship on the state he claims he comes from. It is a shame”.
He also called on Chief Iwuanyanwu, who hails from Imo state not to keep silent in the face of destruction, adding that Ohaneze should not be silent over the matter.
He added: “This has gone beyond labour unionism. There seem to be other motives behind the actions”, he said, calling on Ndi Imo not to be deceived but to protect their state and their livelihood from external forces using Mr Ajaero and NLC to fight their battles against the people. contributing to their own sufferings in some percentage, after years of cries of marginalisation. “While we do not in any way support brutality by state security apparatuses, we condemn in the strongest terms, the punishment, sufferings, and hardship the decisions of the labour unions are bringing on the hapless people of the state”, the president said, adding that the decision was in bad faith.
Meanwhile, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has explained that the prolonged power outage which has affected the whole of Imo state, occasioned by the industrial action by organized labour is beyond its control while empathizing with its customers in the state.
The Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, described the situation which has lasted for nine days as unfortunate.
Ezeh explained that with EEDC’s source of power which is at Egbu Transmission Station, Owerri shut down by the Labour Union, there was no way the company could get power to distribute to its customers in Imo state.
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