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Daniel Adaji
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has said it is engaging with two major electricity sector unions who have threatened to shut down operations due to outstanding allowances.
In a statement issued on Thursday, AEDC Managing Director/CEO, Chijioke Okwuokenye, said the company is already in discussions with union leaders over the issues raised.
“Management has been engaging constructively with the union representatives regarding the notice of industrial action. We are committed to ensuring that all legitimate allowances owed to staff are settled promptly, subject to our financial processes and regulatory compliance,” he said.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) had issued letters dated June 3 and 4, giving AEDC a two-week ultimatum to meet a long list of unresolved grievances or face renewed industrial action.
The unions are mobilizing members across AEDC’s coverage areas – Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory, for the impending strike.
The issues raised include non-payment of pensions, unpaid bonuses, lack of promotions, and collapse of health services within the company. SSAEAC reported that seven staff had died in the past month due to lack of access to medical care.
“Workers have raised the company’s collection by over N95bn in the last 90 days, achieved through dedicated service without essential materials. Business Districts are no longer funded,” NUEE stated in its letter.
SSAEAC added, “All issues must be resolved within one week of this letter’s receipt, or further delays will not be tolerated.”
Okwuokenye noted that AEDC values its workforce and remains hopeful that the issues can be resolved without a strike.
“We have already initiated dialogue with the union leadership to address their concerns transparently and to seek a mutually agreeable resolution. We are confident that, through continued negotiation and open communication, we will find a way to avert any disruption to our operations and to uphold our commitment to the welfare of our employees,” he said.
“Our employees are at the heart of all we do, and their wellbeing and welfare is paramount to management,” he added.
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