Workers at Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) under the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) and National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have started an industrial action over alleged poor working conditions and non-remittance of pensions.
Gatekeepers News reports that Rilwan Shehu, SSAEAC deputy president general for the north, said the strike came after the management failed to meet workers’ demands despite a deadline that expired on January 20.
“We’re here today to ensure that our staff benefits from what is due to them. KEDCO staff are hardworking and everybody can testify through the revenue they are generating.”
“So, they deserve some level of respect by giving them what is meant for them: remittance of pension, conducive working environment, so many things. So, all we are asking is that let them comply to the previous agreement. We’re not asking for a new agreement; we’re only asking for compliance,” he said.
Ado Gaya, NUEE vice president for the north-west, also highlighted the repeated efforts by staff to engage management without success. “We are exercising our patience. We called their attention for them to settle some benefits of the staff but it was to no avail, so we said we had nothing to do than to go along this way because this is the only language they are hearing,” he said.
KEDCO, however, maintained that employee welfare has been a top priority since the current management took office seven months ago. Sani Bala Sani, the company’s head of corporate communications, said over 80 percent of the agreed 2025 pension remittances have already been paid and that a transparent promotion exercise recently resulted in 1,500 staff being promoted. He noted that the picketing arose from both legacy and ongoing staff welfare concerns.
“The company assures stakeholders that employee welfare remains a key priority and that steps are being taken to restore stability and maintain industrial harmony,” Sani said.
