…As Ministry of Industry wades in

By Bimbola Oyesola

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. 

Related News

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.