By Editor
The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has condemned the management of Kaduna Electric for sacking 900 workers in response to legitimate demands of workers for better working conditions.
KEDC Managing Director, Malam Umar Hashidu, justified the layoff decision by emphasising its necessity for the company’s survival and long-term sustainability.
He clarified that 444 workers were laid off, significantly fewer than the 900 claimed by the unions.
CDWR, in a statement signed by its National Chairperson and National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Rufus Olusesan and Comrade Chinedu Bosah respectively, on Saturday, called for the reversal of the sacking.
It said, “We hereby demand the immediate and unconditional reversal of this unjust sacking and the reinstatement of the 900 workers to their duty post without loss of pay. This unjust sacking is in violation of redundancy rules as stipulated in Section 20 of Labour Act.
The organisation said the sacking was the management’s response to workers’ agitation for better working conditions and a rejection of management’s anti-labour practices rather than ‘right-sizing’ as claimed by the management.
It said, “For instance, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has accused the management of Kaduna Electric of recklessly and illegally deducting workers’ pension contribution but pocketed the money instead of remitting to the Pension Custodian and Pension Administrator for five years.
“Also, there are no medical services for workers amongst other anti-workers practices. It was the extreme and autocratic response of the management that triggered the industrial unrest and strike that started on Monday February 3, 2025.
“Even when there is genuine reason to declare redundancy, management is obligated to engage the union before embarking on any sacking in compliance with Section 20 of the Labour Act.
“In this respect, the management of Kaduna Electric refused to engage NUEE, which makes its ‘right-sizing’ highly suspicious and unlawful. As a matter of fact, the workers of Kaduna Electric are over-worked and under-paid and so, there is no justifiable reason for any redundancy or mass sack.”
CDWR said it believes that the mass sacking of the workers is “aimed at beheading the union while undermining workers right to unionisation, and collective bargaining”.
It said, “The sacking is also aimed at subjecting the workers to an atmosphere of terror and intimidation so that management can successfully impose on workers terrible working conditions aimed at guaranteeing huge profits for the owners of Kaduna Electric.
“CDWR demands that the management of Kaduna Electric should immediately reinstate all 900 sacked workers, remit all deducted workers’ pension to the Pension Custodians and workers retirement savings account, end all anti-labour practices and enter into negotiation with NUEE/workers as a means of resolving all pending labour disputes.
“CDWR calls on the leadership of NUEE, the Nigeria Labour Congress (TUC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to mobilise for a sustained mass actions including strike actions to force the management of Kaduna Electric to reinstate all illegally sacked workers and meet all other demands of workers.”
