NLC Tasks KADECO Management On Dialogue With Protesting Workers As NUEE Boss Intervention Yields Result

The Nigeria Labour Congres (NLC) has called on the management of Kaduna Electricity Company (KADECO) to ‘come off its high horse’ and toe the path of   reason or dialogue by unconditionally recalling the sacked 900 electricity workers.

The call was contained in a statement Titled ; ‘COME OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE’ which was made made public on Thursday, signed by Benson Upah, Head of Information and Public Affairs, NLC.

NLC also commended the protesting workers for the peaceful way they made their voices heard in spite of repeated acts of violation and provocation by the management of KADECO

Read Full Statement below:

                              COME OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE

We would want to commend the protesting workers of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company for peacefully conducting their strike action in spite of repeated acts of violation and provocation by the management of KADECO.

Our hearts are with them in this heroic struggle against illegality and injustice.

KADECO acted  against the rule and process of redundancy. The sheer number (over 900 workers in one fell swoop) is equally mind-buggling.

Accordingly, we  call on the management of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company to  come off its high horse and  toe the path of   reason or dialogue by unconditionally recalling the sacked workers.

This will ensure  industrial harmony and restoration of services in its area of jurisdiction.

Resorting to self justification in a clear case of a faulty process is neither  helpful nor reasonable.

Prolonging this act of aggression clearly runs the risk of a major  sympathy action.

Congress will not hesitate to give the on-going action the needed bite if KADECO management does see the wisdom behind an early truce.

For a start, we call on all affiliates in Kaduna to join the protest on a solidarity basis.

           Benson Upah

Head of Information and Public Affairs.

In a latest development, Dominic Igwebike, Ag. General Secretary National Union of Electricity Employee(NUEE) revealed that Kebbi State Governor is working hard alongside NLC leaders in the state towards resolving the KADECO saga as his letters written to the stakeholders are yielding positive results.  

Meanwhile, the Kebbi State chapter of the NLC in a press statement condemned the mass sack of workers describing it as ‘inhuman’.

Read full press release below;

KEBBI STATE CONDEMNS THE INHUMAN MASS SACK OF WORKERS BY KADUNA ELECTRIC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Kebbi State Council received the news of inhuman, unlawful, unwarranted and ill timed of mass sack of workers by Kaduna Electric and condemns the action in totality and call for the immediate reversal of this barbaric act.

This brazen act by the Managing Director and Board of Kaduna Electric is totally insensitive and regarded by NLC as a direct assault on the rights of workers that serve Kaduna Electric diligently for a long period of time.

The Kaduna Electric should have looked inward and reduce the corruption in the Company which was responsible for its problems but reluctantly misdirected their uncalculated decision to a long serving, hardworking, dedicated, loyal and innocent workers. We view this as sacrificing the worker’s fate for the survival of the fittest.

The Kebbi State NLC will not stand idle and allow our members to be subjected to unwarranted injustice. We call for the immediate reversal of this decision.

We also call on His Excellency, the Governor of the people and Father of Unionism in Africa the Executive Governor of Kebbi State, Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris (Kauran Gwandu and Gwarzon Daular Usmaniyya) to come to our aid and intervene in this matter.

We urge all workers to be on red alert for mass industrial action that may be taken against the Kaduna Electric anytime from now.

Injury to one is injury to all

Solidarity forever,

498/02/2025

Comrade Murtala Usman

State Chairman

BACKGROUND

In the letters signed by Abubakar Mohammed, Deputy Managing Director, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KADECO), nine hundred (900) employees of the company were sacked and directed to hand over the company’s properties in their possession to the Human Resources Department with immediate effect.

Operations at the company have been paralysed as workers protest the mass sack, alongside other grievances, including non-payment of outstanding pensions to retirees, inadequate work tools, lack of promotions for deserving staff, and non-implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage.