The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has issued a notice to shut down power supply in Abuja and three other states under the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) franchise area over multiple unresolved demands.
The threatened blackout would affect the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasarawa, Kogi, and Niger States if the union's demands remain unaddressed, according to a notice letter issued on Tuesday by NUEE Assistant Secretary General Liaison, Opaluwa Simeon.
13 Unresolved Demands Fueling the Crisis
The electricity workers listed 13 critical issues that have remained unresolved, including:
Non-remittance of pension deductions for 16 months
Failure to implement the national minimum wage of N70,000
Non-confirmation of staff on acting appointments
Staff stagnation with no promotions for over 10 years
Non-payment of 2024 productivity bonus
Collapse of health services due to unpaid hospital bills
Non-remittance of 10 months PAYE tax
The union emphasized that the planned action is a continuation of their previously suspended strike from November 27, 2024, and could commence anytime following the receipt of the notice without additional warning.
Workers' Contributions Versus Company Response
In the notice, NUEE highlighted that workers have significantly boosted AEDC's revenue collection by over N95 billion in the past 90 days despite challenging working conditions.
"It is worthy of note to remind you that workers, within the last 90 days, have raised the company's collection by over 95 billion. This milestone was achieved through dedicated services without the provision of necessary working materials, business districts are no longer funded."
The union also revealed that several members have lost their lives due to pressure and precarious work conditions, further fueling their resolve to take action.
Mobilization Across Four States
NUEE has directed its councils to commence full mobilization across the AEDC franchise areas of Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, and FCT for what they described as "an effective action."
"The struggle shall be sustained until victory is achieved, as a people united can never be defeated," the notice letter stated.
If implemented, the strike action would significantly impact residents, businesses, and government operations across the affected states, potentially causing widespread disruption to daily activities and economic operations.
As of the time of reporting, AEDC has not issued an official response to the union's demands or the strike notice.
