•Management: they have no basis for their action
Dismissed casual workers of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO) in Sokoto State yesterday stormed the company’s Kaduna Road business office in Sokoto town and prevented its officials from entering, to protest the alleged non-payment of their entitlements.
Similar protests were held by their Kebbi and Zamfara states counterparts, it was learnt.
The one hundred and forty-six workers blocked the gate at 7am with placards, asking the management to pay their entitlements and fulfil other agreements.
Some of the placards read: “We are KAEDCO casuals, pay us our three months entitlements”, “Fashola, we need your attention and intervention”, “Baba bring back NEPA staff”, “Ngige, please look into this”, “We are picketing against our entitlements and severance”.
The workers prayed during the protest, reciting verses from the Holy Qur’an and Holy Bible.
The Chairman and Coordinator, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states KAEDCO Dismissed Casual Staff Forum, Yusuf Usman, said they were shabbily treated.
But the Sokoto Business Development and Relations Officer (BDRO), Tijjani Mustapha, said the workers had no basis for their action, adding that about 400 of them were paid.
He said: “KAEDCO did not engage them, but we pitied and paid them out of magnanimity.
“They did not follow due process and some of them are not bona fide casual workers. We have to conduct verification to be sure. The payment is ongoing. Even yesterday (Monday), we paid some of them.”
Public Affairs Officer Idris Muhammad said the issue regarding their three months entitlements would be addressed soon.
He added: “The screening and verification will be completed this week. We paid some of them yesterday.”