The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has shut down the offices of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) across Abuja, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Niger states on Wednesday morning.
This drastic action follows the mass sacking of over 900 workers by the power utility firm. Consequently, the company’s headquarters and regional hubs are currently under lock and key.
NLC President Joe Ajaero led the picketing exercise, which effectively paralyzed administrative and technical operations. Furthermore, the union is protesting what it describes as a breach of trust.
According to Daily Post, the crisis began when management alleged that staff exits would only affect those reaching the mandatory retirement age.
“The management claimed the disengagement would affect only workers who had reached retirement age or were on the verge of retiring; however, the reverse was the case,” Ajaero stated.
He explained that the union initially stayed its hand based on this understanding. Meanwhile, the reality of the sack letters revealed a different and more troubling pattern.
“No responsible labour leader would oppose the exit of workers who have legitimately reached retirement age,” he declared during the early morning picket.
NLC Alleges Deceit Over Staff Disengagement
The labor leader alleged that the majority of the 900 affected staff were far from their retirement years. Some victims had only recently joined the organization’s workforce.
“The majority of those affected were not at retirement age. Some had not even spent up to five or six years in service,” the NLC President confirmed.
He noted that many of the workers had only served for two or three years. Consequently, the union views the mass termination as a calculated act of bad faith by the AEDC.
“In fact, many had only worked for two to three years. That is the height of deceit,” Ajaero declared as workers cheered in the background.
Horizontal information reveals that the AEDC is one of the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in Nigeria. It is responsible for a vast franchise area covering over 130,000 square kilometers.
The current industrial dispute threatens to disrupt the “Multi-Year Tariff Order” (MYTO) stability. This policy regulates how much consumers pay based on the efficiency of the DisCos.
Blackout Threatens Abuja And Three Neighbouring States
The NLC issued a 48-hour ultimatum on Tuesday for the management to reinstate the sacked workers. Failure to do so will result in a total withdrawal of services by technical staff.
If the ultimatum expires without a resolution, the union intends to escalate its industrial action. This could result in a total blackout for millions of residents in the North-Central region.
“If nothing is done within that time, we cannot guarantee power supply,” Ajaero warned while addressing the media at the padlocked headquarters.
He explained that the grid cannot function without the human elements that manage daily distribution and repairs. Meanwhile, the 48-hour window is rapidly closing for the AEDC management.
“The workers who keep the system running will stay at home, and if they are not at work, the system will naturally be affected,” the union leader added.
The Ministry of Power has not yet intervened in the standoff. However, the potential for a total blackout has already created anxiety among business owners and residents across the affected states.
The NLC remains firm that the offices will stay closed until every wrongfully sacked worker is recalled. Nevertheless, the AEDC management has yet to release an official response to the lockout.
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