By Rahima Dokaji
Electricity workers from the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) shut down operations at the company on Monday and vowed to keep it closed until their outstanding payments were made.
The workers, represented by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), expressed dissatisfaction with KEDCO’s failure to remit their pension deductions for the past 72 months.
This development comes four weeks after the Stallion Times investigative report on how the Electric Company Failed to settle years of benefits and the violation of labour laws.
The report highlighted the case of Usman Sani, a KEDCO staff member who died on active duty, and his relatives, who have been waiting for more than two years, are yet to receive his death benefits and rightful dues.
The publication also emphasized how KEDCO has failed to honour certain rights and protections for its workers, including the payment of death benefits, overtime compensation, and other entitlements guaranteed by the Nigerian Employee Compensation Act and Nigerian Labour Act.
Ado Ririwai, the North-West Chairman of NUEE, stated that the workers would not tolerate such neglect and injustice.
He criticized KEDCO for victimizing union leaders who were advocating on behalf of the workers, describing the company’s actions as imperialistic and a violation of workers’ rights.
Furthermore, the union leader accused KEDCO of neglecting the workers’ welfare by refusing to provide basic medical care, despite the hazardous nature of their jobs. The workers demanded improved working conditions and emphasized the need for the company to prioritize employee well-being.
“This act is imperialistic; it is the workers’ right to fight for what is theirs,” he said.
When contacted, the management of KEDCO through its Head of Corporate Communications, Sani Bala Sani, told Stallion Times that the company was aware of the outstanding staff welfare debts and is taking steps to address them by settling the debts in batches.
