• Friday, March 29, 2024
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FG orders new management for Abuja DisCo board over internal dispute

As operators trade blame, grid collapse worsens outages

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday sacked management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company following the industrial action by employees of the company. He further directed that a new management be set up immediately.

According to a statement by Ofem Uket, a media aide to the minister of state for power, Goddy Jedy Agba, Buhari has directed the Bureau of Public Enterprises to set up a new management for the company.

Employees of the Nigerian Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) embarked on a planned indefinite strike over 20 months unpaid entitlements, an action which caused a total blackout in Abuja, Nasarawa, Niger and Kogi states.

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The protesting staff union had demanded payment of 2020 bonus, 19 months pension remittances, third batch of bulk rent, 17 months thrift deductions and union check off dues by the AEDC management.

In a memorandum of understanding MOU, jointly signed by the minister of state power Goddy Jedy Agba, the chairman Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC, Sanusi Garba, director-general, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Alex Okoli, Joe Ajaero on behalf of the union, the federal government ordered the suspension of the strike [and asked to] given 21 days within which the outstanding emoluments and entitlements of staff will be paid.”

Prior to the workers strike, the Abuja DisCo has been embroiled in major shareholder disagreement with their lender the United Bank for Africa. This has seen the BPE and the Federal working to resolve the dispute but has lingered for three years.