Workers of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) have commenced an indefinite strike, citing unresolved welfare issues, including the non-implementation of the new minimum wage, non-remittance of pension and cooperative deductions, and the alleged dismissal of 17 staff.
The strike, which began on Monday, has led to the closure of the IBEDC regional office in Abeokuta, Ogun State with employees seen gathered outside the locked premises.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Lagos/Ogun Zone, has accused the IBEDC management of failing to address the workers’ grievances after months of negotiations.
Speaking on the development, the Vice President of NUEE, Abiodun Shobayo, stated that the workers had no choice but to take drastic action.
“We are here this morning to say enough is enough. The IBEDC management cannot continue to take us for granted on issues we have raised for about nine months,” Shobayo said.
He highlighted key concerns, including the non-remittance of pension and cooperative deductions amounting to billions of naira, lack of imprest for operational expenses, and the use of personal funds by workers to fix electricity faults and distribute bills.
Shobayo also criticized the management for refusing to implement the new minimum wage or engage in meaningful negotiations, citing financial constraints. He further condemned the alleged indiscriminate dismissal of workers without due process, noting that 17 employees had already been affected.
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“We have exercised patience, but it seems the management has a hidden agenda. Just recently, 900 staff of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company were sacked; we do not want the same situation here,” he added.
The union leader revealed that 70 percent of IBEDC’s workforce consists of casual staff, a situation he described as unacceptable. He emphasized that the strike would continue indefinitely until the management addresses their demands. The industrial action affects all IBEDC franchise areas, covering the six states of the South-West, as well as Kwara and Kogi.
Among the union’s key demands are the immediate payment of all outstanding entitlements, the reinstatement of sacked workers, and the implementation of the new minimum wage. Shobayo stated that negotiations to end the strike would only commence after these conditions are met.
The strike has raised concerns about potential disruptions in electricity distribution across the affected states, as IBEDC is one of the largest electricity distribution companies in the country. Customers in the franchise areas may experience delays in service delivery and billing as the industrial action persists.
As the stand-off continues, stakeholders are calling for urgent intervention to resolve the crisis and prevent further escalation. The IBEDC management is yet to issue an official statement regarding the strike or the union’s demands.
