Blackout: Uzodimma fires commissioner over face-off with NLC

The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, has sacked his Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Chief Ford Ozumba, over an on-going face-off between the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the state government.

A statement by the governor’s media aide, Mr Oguwike Nwachuku, in Owerri on Saturday, partly read, “Governor Uzodimma has approved the immediate removal of Chief Ford Ozumba, Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, from office.

“Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Declan Emelumba says the governor directed Chief Ozumba to hand over to the Permanent Secretary at the ministry with immediate effect,’’ the statement read.

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company shut power supply to Imo State from Thursday in compliance with NLC’s directive.

Meanwhile, the EEDC has said the power outage being experienced in some parts of the South-East is as a result of the industrial action by the organised labour union in Imo State.

The DisCo said the industrial action had led to the shutdown of its source of supply, leaving it with no energy to distribute.

A statement by the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, on Saturday, added that the communities affected should ensure electricity infrastructure serving them were not attacked by vandals who might want to take advantage of the situation to attack and vandalise electricity equipment.

The statement read, “The EEDC wishes to inform her esteemed customers that the loss of supply currently being experienced is as a result of the industrial action by the organised labour union in Imo State.

“This led to the shutdown of our source of supply, leaving us with no energy to distribute. As a result, all our customers under Imo State are without electricity supply.

“We understand the inconveniences this situation will cause our customers, and we are hopeful that the issue will be resolved within the shortest possible time so we can restore supply to our customers.

“We therefore appeal to our customers to be vigilant and ensure the electricity infrastructure serving them are not attacked by vandals who might want to take advantage of the situation to attack and vandalise electricity facilities.”