EDO State Governor Monday Okpebholo has bowed to pressure to recognise and work with the Caretaker Committee of the Edo chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress headed by Comrade Monday Igbafen.
The Caretaker Committee was inaugurated in August last year but the Edo State Government continued to work with Comrade Bernard Egwakide as Acting Chairman of Edo NLC.
Several attempts by the Caretaker Committee to gain entrance to the Secretariat of the Edo NLC failed.
But Governor Okpebholo agreed to work with Prof. Igbafen’s Caretaker Committee after a meeting was convened by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume. Also present were NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero; Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi; and former Edo State Governor and ex-NLC President Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
The meeting was held after the Edo chapter of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) refused to stop its picketing of the BEDC Electricity Plc.
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okpebholo Patrick Ebojele in a press statement said electricity supply would be restored to Edo State.
The statement said the state government would recognise the caretaker committee and work with labour leaders on arrangements for the conduct of election in Edo NLC.
It quoted the governor as saying ‘There is no issue actually and we have resolved the issues that border the NLC caretaker committee in Edo’ he said.