The National Union of Electricity Employees has criticised the mass retrenchment of 800 workers by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, describing the action as a violation of the agreement reached between the company’s management and the unions.
The union said the restructuring exercise failed to align with the understanding anchored on mutual trust.
According to a statement issued by the union’s Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, AEDC recently published that the restructuring was aimed at improving customer service delivery and boosting operational efficiency.
The company added that the move was consistent with its ongoing corporate transformation to become more agile, innovative, and customer-focused. AEDC said it promoted high-performing staff and released those retiring or performing below expectations.
Igwebike, however, called for a comprehensive review of the entire restructuring exercise and demanded that it be conducted in line with the Memorandum of Understanding reached with the unions.
He criticised the scale of the layoffs, stating that it was insensitive given current economic conditions and existing manpower constraints within the company.
He stated, “The number involved is unacceptably high, taking into consideration the current economic reality in the country and the manpower gap in the company. The figure undermines workers’ livelihoods and the sustainability of the workforce. Some workers on the retrenchment list have no business being on it.’’
Igwebike added that if underperformance was cited as the reason for disengagement, it could be due to either worker inefficiency or the company’s failure to provide adequate tools and a conducive working environment.
He stressed that the disengagement disproportionately affected younger employees.
According to him, “over 60 per cent of affected staff members fall within the youth group. The long-term economic and social impact of youth unemployment on households and communities cannot be overemphasised.”
He further claimed that the retrenchment appeared to target union officials.
“The union has observed with disappointment a well-thought-out plan of victimisation, orchestrated against the union. Over 70 per cent of union officials across the four state councils and 21 chapters in the company were affected,” he said.
Igwebike called for a detailed “line-by-line audit of performance records and disciplinary history for all affected employees.”
He added that any staff currently on a performance improvement track should be reassessed for possible retention.
He also asked that AEDC provide access to performance and disciplinary records of the affected workers and establish a joint committee with the union to oversee the review, appeals, and any mitigation process.
“While the union reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding workers’ rights, we advise the management of AEDC to engage the inherent potential of the workers in achieving the desired productivity,” he said.
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