On Wednesday morning, members of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) staged a protest at the headquarters of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), disrupting activities over unresolved labour grievances.
The unions, armed with placards, barricaded the entrance to the premises, preventing workers from accessing the building.
The protest was fueled by issues such as unpaid pension arrears, staff casualisation, non-compliance with the national minimum wage, inadequate medical benefits, and poor overall staff welfare—actions the unions claim contravene Nigerian labour laws.
SSAEAC Branch President, Comrade Raymond Okoro, and NUEE Zonal Organising Secretary, Comrade Ayodele Kolade, led the protest.
They presented their demands to AEDC Managing Director, Engr. Chijioke Okwuokenye, urging immediate intervention to avoid a broader industrial action.
Comrade Okoro condemned AEDC’s failure to remit 15 months’ worth of pension deductions, describing it as a financial crime under Nigerian law. He also criticized the company for neglecting medical benefits, failing to implement competitive salaries, and overlooking staff promotions.
The unions have vowed to sustain the picketing until the company addresses their concerns, raising fears of widespread disruptions in electricity services if the grievances remain unresolved.
“Pension deductions without remittance is fraud, staff go to hospitals and are turned away due to unpaid bills, leaving them at the mercy of illness.
“Casual workers, some employed for over a decade, earn less than the legally mandated minimum wage enough is enough,” Okoro said.
The unions also decried alleged intimidation of employees by Management and accused the AEDC board of meddling in daily operations, which has contributed to stagnation and inefficiency.
On his part, Comrade Kolade lamented the unions’ history of engaging AEDC management with broken promises and frequent changes in leadership.
“Last month alone, AEDC generated N29.4 billion, yet staff suffer unpaid benefits and unsafe working conditions.
If our demands are not met, we will escalate actions, including a total withdrawal of services,” Kolade warned.
The unions’ demands include the immediate payment of pension arrears, an end to casualization, improved medical care, and adherence to minimum wage laws.
Despite a seven-day ultimatum issued last week, the union stated that AEDC has yet to respond to the workers’ grievances.
The unions have pledged to continue their protest and further actions if their demands are not addressed.
In response, the managing director of the AEDC, Engineer Chijioke Okwuokenye, acknowledged the concerns of the employees and expressed regret over the circumstances that led to the unrest.
“Let me apologise that we have allowed things to get to this level. It never should, the fact is we can only talk of how to go forward, I take responsibility for whatever misgivings you have identified.
“No matter how bad things get, there’s always a point at which we would say, okay, let’s start fixing it. And you can’t say because a house is infected with rodents, you decide that the person is going to burn down the house.
“I have spoken to the board this morning and I can tell you that there is backing from the board to make sure that AEDC becomes a company that is able to meet its responsibility to its staff,” the MD explained.
(Leadership)
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