News

TCN Announces Shutdown of National Grid Following Labour Strike

Published

10 months ago

June 3, 2024

Eric

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed that labour union shut down the national grid to plunge the country into darkness as it commenced indefinite strike on Monday.

The nationwide strike is due to the federal government’s failure to increase workers’ new minimum wage offer above N60,000 and reverse electricity tariff hike.

The TCN in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, announced that the blackout began at approximately 2:19 am.

She said the incident started at 1:15 am when the Benin Transmission Operator, under the Independent System Operations unit of TCN, reported that all operators were forcefully removed from the control room.

According to TCN, staff members who resisted were assaulted, resulting in several injuries. With no control or supervision, the Benin Area Control Center was completely shut down.

Mbah said the labour union’s actions extended to other key transmission substations, including Ganmo, Ayede, Olorunsogo, Akangba, Osogbo, and Benin. The union’s activities also led to the opening of several transmission lines, exacerbating the situation.

According to her, the power generating sector has not been spared, adding that various generating stations were forced to shut down units, including the Jebba Generating Station, which shut down one unit, followed by the automatic shutdown of three other units due to high frequency issues.

She added that the development had sudden forced load cuts, destabilised the system, culminating in the nationwide grid collapse at 2:19 am.

Mbah, however, disclosed that despite the severe disruption, TCN had initiated efforts to restore the grid.

“At 3:23 am, TCN began recovery operations using the Shiroro Substation to attempt to feed transmission lines supplying bulk electricity to the Katampe Transmission Substation. However, ongoing obstructions by the labour union continue to hinder the grid recovery process”, she said.

News

Explosion Rocks Trans Niger Pipeline in Rivers

Published

4 hours ago

March 18, 2025

Eric

An explosion has rocked a section of the Trans Niger Pipeline in Bodo Community in Gonna Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The explosion occurred late on Monday night near the Bodo-Bonny Road under construction

Thick black smoke was seen billowing into the atmosphere, with a raging fire spreading fast into the mangrove from a video that emerged on Tuesday morning.

The TNP is a federal transport line that supplies oil to the Bonny Export Terminal in Rivers State.

When contacted, the Police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko said she would find out and get back to our reporter, though she had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

The Punch

News

Sack Wike Now, Niger Delta Youths Tell Tinubu

Published

3 days ago

March 15, 2025

Eric

The youth chapter of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, to retract his publicly disparaging remarks against the Ijaw nation and the leaders of this socio-political body.

According to the youths, it is embarrassing that Wike insulted the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, even in death without respecting him.

Addressing journalists on Saturday, the National Youth President of the Youth Wing, Doben Donyegha, who gave the ultimatum, said that it was annoying that Wike abused the leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone less than 24 hours after its delegation met with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Wike, during a media chat on Thursday, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.

Donyegha, who also urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the minister from his cabinet, said that the youth wing no longer had confidence in him and that keeping Wike in his cabinet may affect the president’s re-election chances in the Niger Delta come 2027.

The President of the PANDEF youths also asked the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate the minister, alleging land-grabbing activities in the FCT.

News

Ahead Budget Presentation, Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly Adjourns Sitting Indefinitely

Published

4 days ago

March 14, 2025

Eric

The Rivers State House of Assembly has adjourned its sittings indefinitely.

The decision to adjourn legislative duties indefinitely was reached during plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, in Port Harcourt on Friday.

The development comes hours after the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, wrote to the Speaker, informing him of his intention to visit the House to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration and approval.

The governor, in a letter dated March 13 and addressed to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, said he intends to present the budget on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, or any other day within March that the House may deem fit.

Fubara said his decision is in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment and in response to the lawmakers’ request for him to re-present the budget.

He recalled the bitter experience of visiting the Assembly Quarters with his entourage, where the lawmakers were temporarily sitting to present the budget, but he was denied access to the complex.