KADECO Strike Enters Day Two as Kaduna residents lament prolonged blackout
By Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna
http://www.newsportng.com.ng The indefinite strike by workers of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KADECO) has entered its second day, leaving Kaduna residents in darkness as electricity supply remains disrupted.
The industrial action, which began on Monday, was triggered by the company’s alleged plan to sack over 900 staff, alongside other grievances bordering on workers’ welfare.
On the first day of the strike, members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) barricaded KADECO’s corporate headquarters in Kaduna, preventing staff and customers from gaining access. The workers, wielding placards with inscriptions expressing their dissatisfaction, vowed not to resume work until their demands were met.
The North West Zonal Organising Secretary of NUEE, Barde, had accused KADECO management of high-handedness and blatant disregard for industrial agreements. He particularly condemned the company’s failure to settle exit benefits for retirees and ex-staff over the past five years.
Other grievances raised by the union include the nonpayment of five years’ outstanding pensions, non-implementation of the national minimum wage, lack of staff promotions, and inadequate work tools necessary for effective service delivery.
Speaking to NewsDirect on Tuesday, a KADECO staff member at the company’s head office, who preferred anonymity, confirmed that the strike remains indefinite.
“There is no date yet to end the strike. We are still waiting, but nothing has changed,” the staff said.
Meanwhile, Kaduna residents are feeling the impact of the prolonged blackout, with businesses and households struggling to cope. Many have expressed frustration over the outage, lamenting its effects on daily activities and economic productivity.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get an official response from KADECO management have been unsuccessful, while electricity supply across Kaduna and its environs remains unstable, with no resolution in sight.
