Aggrieved workers of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company on Tuesday downed tool over non-payment of salaries and non-remittance of their two-year pension to their respective Pension Fund Administrations (PFAs).
The workers under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) blocked the gate of the corporate headquarters of the company located in Kaduna state capital with their vehicles.
The union officials sent workers out of their various offices, while they hold emergency meeting with the management of the company.
Business activities were brought to a halt, as the angry workers prevented customers, who came to recharge their prepaid meters from gaining access into the premises. The workers chant solidarity songs, armed with placards with various inscriptions, such as “We say NO to modern day Slavery”, “Pay our Salary in Full, Timely”, “Pay our 2 Years Pension to PFA”, the workers describe the inhuman treatment meted to them by the management of Kaduna Electric as modern day slavery..
Speaking at the end of their meeting with the management, the deputy President North of NUEE, Comrade Sikamta Ali, alleged that the management of Kaduna electricity company paid them 40% of their September salaries on October 15, and that there was no hope when the balance would be paid.
He also claimed that the company lacks the technical know how and capacity to deliver adequate electricity supply to its customers.
He then called on the federal government to reverse the privatization of the power sector to enable competent hands take over and deliver power to the people.
But in a swift reaction, management of Kaduna electricity distribution company through its spokesman, Abdulazeez Abdullahi, said the staggered salaries was due to lack of funds arising from poor revenue collection and Central Bank’s policy that es-crowed the company’s account giving them access only between 24th and 4th of the following month.
He however promised that the remaining balance owed the workers would be paid by month end.
“We could not pay all our staff their full entitlements because of the very poor generation of funds and stringent regulations by the regulatory agencies in the country. We had no choice but to stagger all the payments and we have told them that the remaining balance would be paid before end of the month. We have to pay our MOP invoice 100%, we are also facing energy theft, meter bypass and non-upfront payment by customers.
“We have met with the union and agreed to pay the pension in instalments to their PFAs because the resources is not available. On the issue of medical, the challenge is poor revenue collection, we have been fighting for cost reflective tariff to no avail.
“What they are saying that we lacked capacity is untrue, we have the capacity to provide the services. Kaduna Electric is the first company to provide motorcycles and vehicles to our workers, we have built many substations, provided equipment. We constantly upgrade our facility and maintain it,” he said.
