 has halted operations at the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC) following the dismissal of approximately 900 workers.){kind=link}
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has halted operations at the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC) following the dismissal of approximately 900 workers.
The union announced an indefinite strike in response to the company’s action, which they say has left the affected employees without immediate compensation.
Reports indicate that the workers began receiving their termination letters yesterday, but the decision to lay off the employees was finalized the previous week.
A statement issued on January 31, 2025, confirmed that the workers’ services were no longer required.
The decision came after a monthly performance review meeting attended by key company officials, including Managing Director/CEO Dr. Umar Abubakar Hashidu, Chairman of the Board Aminu Suleiman, and other board members such as Ibrahim Umar, Chairman of the Human Resource Committee.
The official statement read in part, “We refer to your offer of employment and write to inform you that your services will no longer be required, effective January 31, 2025. This decision was made in response to current operational challenges.”
The company outlined the benefits owed to the dismissed workers, which included a 13th-month pay of N49,448.11 and nine months of basic salary totaling N445,033.07, bringing the total net benefit to N494,481.18.
The outstanding pension liability is N1,225,164.63, bringing the overall total benefit to N1,719,645.83. The company assured workers that their pension funds would be transferred to their retirement savings accounts in due course.
In the aftermath, NUEE Acting General Secretary Dominic Igwebike condemned the sackings, stating that the union had been unaware of the impending layoffs and had directed its members to shut down all KEDC operations immediately.
“We were caught off guard by this unjustified decision, and our industrial action began on Sunday. The company issued the termination letters today, and our strike will continue until further notice,” Igwebike said.