Activities at the headquarters of Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) along Ahmadu Bello Way, Jos Plateau State, were paralyzed on Monday as members of the state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Union (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) picketed the company to prevent workers from accessing the premises.
This action was taken in compliance with directives from the national secretariats of the two unions regarding the recent increase in electricity tariffs across the country.
While the NLC and TUC barricaded the entrance of the company, JED workers who had reported for work earlier were locked out. They were also seen advising their colleagues who were yet to arrive to wait before coming to work.
The Corporate Affairs Manager of Jos Disco, Dr. Friday Elijah, simply stated, “JED has been picketed. We were locked out when we came to the office.
It has been sealed; nobody is allowed to enter, not even myself (the spokesman) and the chief security officer outside. All of us came this morning for work; we were locked out. The office has been picketed and sealed.”
The state chairman of the NLC, Comrade Eugene Manji, stated that the corporate headquarters of Jos Disco were picketed in line with the directive from the NLC national headquarters, adding that there would be no retreat until the discos in the country reversed the old tariff.