THERE is a widespread blackout across Kano state following the shut down of all 11KV by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) staff as part of the protest by the National of Electricity Employees, Kano State Chapter over the failure of the management to remit pension deductions for the past 72 months.
News Point Nigeria had reported that the Union had shut down the Kano KEDCO office indefinitely on Monday.
NUEE Chairman, Northwest Zone of the union, Ado Riruwai, who was said to have led the picketing of the company, said the union would not continue to fold its arms and allow the company to continue to stop the remittance of pension money.
At the same time, Riruwai lamented that the Kano Electricity Company has taken upon itself the victimisation of union leaders, who want to speak on behalf of staff.
“This illegal act is tantamount to wickedness against the rights of workers as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution,” Riruwai said.
Speaking to this newspaper via telephone on Tuesday with an update of Monday’s incident, a Union leader, who preferred anonymity, accused the management of the company of refusing to provide medicare for workers, despite the hazard of jobs at KEDCO.
Adding that the state is in total blackout as all 11KV have been shut down by the protesting staff and it will remain so until the management does something about their pensions.
“We have been invited for a meeting later today with the management, if nothing fruitful comes up, we will continue this protest and all 11KV will remain shut”, he stressed.
