KEDCO uses security personnel to intimidate workers, NUEE alleges

The National Union Of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has alleged that the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) has resorted to using security personnel to intimidate and harass workers.

The union has warned that should anything happen to the workers due to the continued harassment, the management of KEDCO would be held directly responsible, with an industrial action that would assume a national dimension.

A statement by General Secretary, NUEE, Joe Ajaero, said KEDCO could not continue to violate the conditions of service and other extant labour laws and expect unabated docility to the oppressive policies.

Noting that KEDCO’s anti-workers’ policy must stop, Ajaero said the union’s attention was drawn to a press release captioned “KEDCO will not tolerate incompetency, underperformance” from Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) dated February 15, 2021.

He said the statement was not only vague but constructively mischievous with a view to misinforming the general public.

He said rather than whipping up negative public sentiments, KEDCO management should concentrate on how to proffer solution to the lingering issues.

He hinted on some unaddressed issues that gave rise to the stay-at-home notice issued to the workers by the unions.

He said the management of KEDCO had been in clear violation of not only the conditions of service but also other extant laws, which has culminated the present industrial action.

He mentioned some of the unaddressed issues to include refusal to remit 48 months of deducted contributory pension to respective PFAs, refusal to pay transfer cost/allowance to affected staff, refusal to pay shift allowances to affected staff and non-payment of mileage allowances, among others.

Ajaero maintained that the issues had been raised several times with the KEDCO management without being addressed.

In his reaction, Head, Corporate Communications, KEDCO, Ibrahim Shawai, explained that the non-payment of salary arrears was due to non-performance, promising that the company would settle the arrears by instalments.