Textile workers picket Ikeja Electric for disconnecting 2 factories

Members of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) yesterday picketed the corporate head office of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company following the disconnection of two textile factories.

The factories - Nichemtex in Ikorodu and Cotsyn, Ilupeju both in Lagos were allegedly wrongly disconnected by the Ikeja Electric, forcing the companies to shut down operations for the past three months.

Textile workers led by their President, Comrade John Adaji, marched from the NUTGTWN secretariat annex on Acme road Lagos to the Alausa office of Ikeja Electric to picket the distribution company.

General Secretary of the union, Comrade Issa Aremu who briefed newsmen at the premises of Ikeja Electric, said Nichemtex which employs over 3000 workers had been crippled by the distribution company, and that disconnection of the factory came after it had already paid over N70 million to the DISCO while negotiation continued.

The protesting workers met with the IKEDC officials for almost two hours alongside Mr. Barnabas Jatau, a representative of Minister of State for Trade, Industries and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar.

Speaking after the meeting, Jatau assured the workers that since the FG had intervened in the matter, electricity would be restored in the companies while negotiations continued.