Yola Electricity Distribution Company (Yola Disco) has responded to picketing of its facilities by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) as a campaign of calumny and an act of economic sabotage to the company and the people of Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Yobe states by illegally denying the citizens access to electricity.
The company insisted that the conditions that compelled its decision to right-size have not been altered by the campaign of economic sabotage embarked upon by the unions.
In a press statement by Olugbenga Adebola, head of corporate communications of Yola Disco, the distribution company said it remained committed to using all the resources it can generate to serve the interests of its customers.
According to the statement, the issues at stake were being deliberately misconstrued by the labour unions, emphasising that it is open to continue engaging with them as it continues to put a high premium on the interest and livelihoods of the majority of the people of the states benefitting from its services.
He said there was nothing clandestine about the ownership of the Yola Disco as claimed by the labour unions, explaining that Quest Nigeria Limited, owner of the Disco, bought over the company in a transparent process that was midwifed by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), and all due diligence was done including on everything e.g. facility and staff.
“Before that, the previous owners had declared a force majeure and handed over to the government. The government kept running it until they advertised and Quest won the bid.
“We came in and met an organization that needed to be repositioned in order to stabilise the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry as it had huge losses, mismatch in job alignment and an aging workforce that requires right-sizing and realignment. However, he explained that some disengaged staff got two letters, including letters of re-engagement, for those whose services are still required.
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“Those that got two letters were asked to stay back to provide all the maintenance support that was needed before the second phase of the recruitment,” he explained.
YEDC will put emphasis on recruiting locally as well as providing the necessary training and personnel development to ensure the company is repositioned towards the provision of quality service and power to its licensed area.
He reiterated that BPE carried out the staff verification before Quest took over the operations of the Disco and urged the unions to discontinue any further action which will further jeopardize the Federal Government’s efforts of rebuilding the northeast.
The statement said YEDC was willing to engage in meaningful discussion with the unions with a view to amicably resolving the disagreement.
YEDC pledged best in class services which include improved payment systems, excellent customer service as well treatment of all its customers with respect.
It said the company shared the pain of all those affected by the picketing of its facilities by the unions and appealed to all residents to remain calm, as talks with relevant authorities were ongoing.
The Disco expressed appreciation to security formations who deployed personnel to the TCN 332kv/33Kv yard to be on standby to forestall another breach.
