The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has officially denied allegations of a strike affecting power distribution, attributing recent disruptions to picketing activities by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE). This comes in the wake of protests regarding the termination of employment for 17 staff members over alleged poor performance.
In a statement released by Angela Olanrewaju, IBEDC’s Head of Branding and Corporate Communication, the company emphasized that the terminations were conducted following established procedures and that the affected employees had been placed on probation for several months without significant improvement. Olanrewaju also stated, “Despite the ongoing economic challenges in the country, IBEDC has consistently paid the full salaries of its employees each month.”
However, NUEE representatives have contested this narrative.
Vice President of NUEE, Abiodun Shobayo, highlighted that the strike was necessitated by the management’s failure to address multiple employee grievances over the past nine months, including the non-implementation of the new minimum wage, failure to remit pension deductions, and issues surrounding the casualization of workers.
Protesters gathered at the IBEDC office in Ibadan, voicing their concerns about the treatment of employees and the lack of proper consultation prior to the layoffs. They argued that the dismissals violated labor laws that require union consultation before any downsizing.
Olanrewaju reiterated that the company has no casual workers, as all duties have been outsourced, and stressed the importance of maintaining a positive work environment while safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders.
As tensions escalate between the IBEDC management and its employees, the situation remains fluid with potential implications for power distribution in the region.
For continued updates, stay tuned to Newspot Nigeria.
