NLC Protests at AEDC Headquarters Following Dismissal of 900 Employees

On Tuesday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) picketed the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) headquarters in response to the controversial dismissal of around 900 employees.

The NLC subsequently set a 48-hour deadline for the company's management to resolve the situation or face a total shutdown of its significant operations.

Joe Ajaero, the President of NLC, who was at the forefront of the protest, accused AEDC of conducting mass layoffs under misleading circumstances, labeling the action “the height of deceit.”

Ajaero warned that the company's actions are setting a troubling precedent in Nigeria's already struggling power sector.

He noted that the crisis has been ongoing for roughly six months.

The labor leader pointed out that AEDC had previously misled them by asserting that the layoffs would only impact those employees who had reached retirement age or were nearing retirement.

However, he revealed that the union's investigations uncovered a starkly different scenario.

"At the time, our union intervened based on such an understanding. No responsible labor leader would resist the retirement of workers who have legitimately reached that point in their careers,” he stated.

"The majority of those affected were not nearing retirement. Many had only been in service for two to three years, with some not even completing five or six years. This is sheer deceit,” he emphasized.

Ajaero mentioned that AEDC had committed to reviewing the layoffs, yet six months later, no actions had been taken despite ongoing discussions through zonal consultations.