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By Ahmad A. Usman, Kafanchan
In a peaceful rally that drew the attention of residents in Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, staff of Kaduna Electric on Tuesday staged a protest against the termination of over 900 employees. The workers, who marched through the Kafanchan NEPA roundabout, accused the management of failing to follow due process as stipulated by the constitution in the mass sack.
The protesters, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Non Implementation of Minimum Wage,” “Pay Our Entitlements, No Shifting Ground,” “No to Tyranny and Slavery; 10 Years Without Promotion,” “Respect Workers’ Rights,” and “No to Hazardous Work Conditions,” decried the management’s alleged insensitivity to their welfare.
Speaking on behalf of the protesting workers shortly after the rally at the gate of Kaduna Electric’s Kafanchan Branch Office, the Service Manager, Godswill Tanimu Adamu, expressed their collective frustrations. He highlighted the key demands of the workers, including the payment of their long-overdue entitlements and improved working conditions.
“We have been working in hazardous environments without any medical care or attention from the company,” Adamu said. “Most of us have sustained injuries while on duty, yet we are left to cater to ourselves. It’s unacceptable. Furthermore, the tools we are provided with are insufficient and outdated, making it almost impossible to serve our customers efficiently.”
Adamu also criticized the undue pressure placed on workers to meet revenue targets, despite the company’s failure to provide adequate resources. “The management expects us to generate revenue from customers who are already dissatisfied with the poor services they receive. This is unfair, and we are saying enough is enough,” he stated.
The protesters, who have been battling for the payment of their entitlements for over five years, vowed not to relent until their demands are met. “We are calling on the management to respect workers’ rights and pay us what we are owed. Many of us are struggling to make ends meet, and we can’t continue like this,” Adamu added.
The workers called on the company to address their grievances promptly.
Efforts to reach the management of Kaduna Electric for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Residents of Kaduna have urged the company and relevant authorities to intervene, warning that the crisis could disrupt electricity supply across the state.
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