The Imo Hoteliers Association has urged the state government and electricity workers to seek a diplomatic solution to their differences that resulted in a power outage in the state.

The association’s chairman, Chima Chukwunyere, made the request at a news briefing in Owerri, the state capital, on Saturday.

“We are calling on the state government to put a human face on it and employ diplomacy in the current situation,” said Mr Chukwunyere.

The electricity workers in the state declared an industrial dispute against the government in the wake of the reported arrest and manhandling of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president, Joe Ajaero, by the police on Wednesday.

The Imo Police Command’s spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, however, denied the allegation, saying that Mr Ajaero was whisked away by the police for safety after he was attacked by a mob while leading a protest in Owerri.

Reacting to the effect of the industrial dispute, Mr Chukwunyere said the power outage had a “debilitating effect on the industry”, with some facilities shutting down.

He said that with diesel selling at N1,300 per litre, “it has become increasingly difficult to sustain the industry following the outage”.

According to him, some staff members of hotels have already lost their jobs as their employers can no longer sustain their salaries amidst increased running costs, a fallout of the blackout.

“Also, we want the NLC to understand that although they are fighting for the rights of the masses, it will not be morally right to take decisions capable of subjecting the masses to more hardship,” he said.

Mr Chukwunyere said the group was caught unawares by the power outage, saying there was no notice of a strike by labour.

“We, therefore, call for a diplomatic solution to the disagreement,“ Mr Chukwunyere said.

(NAN)