Kaduna State Deputy Governor Dr Hadiza Balarabe has intervened in the ongoing industrial dispute between Kaduna Electric and its workers’ union, which has resulted in power outage in all its franchise states for four days.
Balarabe who hosted the meeting at the Government House in Kaduna on Thursday, February 6, 2025, pleaded with the union to restore electricity to consumers as soon as possible, saying the outage has impacted negatively across all sectors.
Balarabe implored the management and the union to find a common ground to ensure the resolution of their differences, stating that the lack of power has affected homes, businesses, and with attendant security implications.
She added that the management and the workers of Kaduna Electric need each other and that they should continue to hold dialogue on a regular basis even when the present impasse has been resolved.
Speaking earlier, the National Vice President (Distribution) of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Comrade Wisdom Nwachukwu, said the union is not against the downsizing of workers but wants due process to be followed and all their entitlements paid.
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Nwachukwu noted that both the union, management, and workers of Kaduna Electric are members of the same family but as the workers’ representatives, they want the management to follow laid down procedure in the pruning down of the workforce.
The union leader promised that he and other officials will communicate the deputy governor’s plea to their headquarters, pledging that the matter will be resolved soon.
In his presentation, the Managing Director of Kaduna Electric, Umar Hashidu, said the management is looking at efficiency, progress, and sustainability of the company, noting that 444 workers were laid off.
According to him, the company will be unable to meet basic obligations like payment of salaries and may ultimately fold up, if action was not taken by the management.
Hashidu added that the two parties will hold another round of meetings with a third party, promising that the matter will be resolved soon.
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