Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Business activities came to a standstill at Kaduna electric distribution company, Kaduna, as the workers on Tuesday down tools over non payment of salaries and non remittance of their two years pension to the Pension Fund Administration (PFA).
The workers led by union officials on the platform of the National Union of Electricity Employee locked down the company using vehicles to barricade the main entrance to the corporate head office along bank road, in the city centre.
Inscriptions were written on the vehicles blocking the main gate of the electricity company read in part,”pay our 2 years pension to PFA”, “pay us our salary in full,” and “we say no to modern day slavery.”
The workers chanted solidarity songs while the management engaged the union officials in a meeting to resolve the crisis.
A worker who spoke on condition of anonymity to our correspondent who visited the company while the protest lasted, said the management of the electricity company paid them 40 % of September salaries, and that there was no hope when the balance would be paid.
Business activities came to a standstill as the angry workers prevented customers who came to recharge their prepaid metres from gaining access into the premises.
The workers through Sikamta Ali, who is the Deputy President, North of the National Union of Electricity Employees, while addressing newsmen, said the company lacks the technical know how and capacity to deliver adequate electricity supply to its customers.
The union called on the federal government to reverse the privatization of the power sector to enable competent hands to take over.
Meanwhile, spokesman of the company, Abdulaziz Abdullahi said the staggered salaries was as result of lack of funds arising from poor revenue collection.
He however promised that the remaining balance owed the workers will be paid before month end.
Earlier, the spokesman had said in a statement, “Management sincerely apologises for the delay in full payment of salaries to all staff.
“This sad situation was occasioned by the poor collection for the month of September and the pressure from the regulator to pay market invoices and other statutory obligations.”