Hundreds of thousands of households and companies throughout Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states could also be plunged into darkness following the declaration of an indefinite strike by two main electrical energy employees’ unions on the Kano Electrical energy Distribution Firm.
The Senior Employees Affiliation of Electrical energy and Allied Corporations and the Nationwide Union of Electrical energy Workers on Wednesday shut down operations at KEDCO’s headquarters after the expiration of a midnight ultimatum issued to administration over unpaid arrears.
Union leaders stated the choice to down instruments adopted administration’s failure to fulfill a January 20 deadline to settle three classes of excellent entitlements owed to employees. By Wednesday morning, the gates of KEDCO had been locked, whereas technical employees deserted their obligation posts.
The motion has raised fears of a complete collapse of energy provide within the area, as faults on the electrical energy community could go unattended throughout the strike interval.
Talking at a tense press briefing on the KEDCO head workplace, the unions accused administration of permitting negotiations to utterly break down. They alleged that employees’ accounts weren’t credited as agreed, leaving them with no possibility however to embark on industrial motion.
The Deputy President Common (North) of SSAEAC, Comrade Rilwan Shehu, stated the strike was the fruits of years of unresolved grievances.
“We’re right here to lock down actions as a result of they did not adjust to so many agreements. Since 2014, we have now struggled with points starting from non-remittance of pensions to the settlement of dying advantages and poor working environments. Many issues are being sidelined,” Shehu stated.
Additionally talking, the Vice President (North-West) of NUEE, Comrade Ado Gaya, accused administration of discrimination in employees welfare and promotion.
“Only in the near past, they carried out a promotional train. For the previous ten or eleven years, you will discover employees right here with none promotion. However of their private curiosity, they’re now partaking in selective promotion,” Gaya alleged.
As of the time of submitting this report, KEDCO administration had not responded to inquiries on the strike motion or the allegations of unpaid arrears, pension defaults and selective promotions.
With electrical energy employees off obligation, residents and companies in Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states have been suggested to arrange for potential extended energy outages as the commercial motion continues.