The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday staged a protest at the headquarters of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in Abuja over the alleged disengagement of about 900 workers.
Speaking during the picketing exercise, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, described the mass sack as a “deceitful and dangerous trend” within the power sector.
“A majority of those affected were not at retirement age. Some had only worked for two to three years. That is the height of deceit,” Ajaero said.
He warned that failure to address the situation within 48 hours could lead to disruption in electricity supply, as workers may be forced to withdraw their services.
“If nothing is done within 48 hours, we cannot guarantee power supply,” he added, stressing that the union’s demand was strictly for justice in line with labour laws.
Ajaero noted that AEDC management had initially indicated that only retiring staff would be affected by the exercise, a claim that influenced the union’s earlier position.
However, he said subsequent investigations revealed that many of the disengaged workers were neither due for retirement nor close to it, with some having spent only two to six years in service.
The NLC president further disclosed that although AEDC had promised to review the disengagement process, no concrete action had been taken six months after the assurance.
He warned that similar practices were beginning to emerge in other electricity distribution companies, posing broader risks to the stability of the sector.
Ajaero also demanded that AEDC publish details of the disengaged workers to ensure transparency and allow for public scrutiny, while raising concerns over poor working conditions and unresolved welfare issues.
He emphasised that the labour movement would not tolerate continued injustices in the sector and insisted that all affected workers must have their cases reviewed in accordance with established labour regulations.
The protest disrupted activities at the company’s headquarters, as staff were asked to vacate their offices during the demonstration.
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Efforts to engage the management were unsuccessful, as the Managing Director of AEDC was reportedly unavailable for a scheduled meeting with NLC leadership.
The union warned that the industrial action could be extended to other AEDC zones if its demands are not met, raising concerns over potential disruptions to electricity supply in the Federal Capital Territory.
