The Kaduna State Government has stepped in to resolve the industrial dispute between Kaduna Electric and its workers’ union, which led to a four-day power outage across the company’s franchise states.
Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe convened a meeting with both parties at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Thursday, urging the union to restore electricity to consumers without further delay.
She emphasized that the prolonged outage had severely impacted homes, businesses, and critical sectors, including security.
According to a statement by Governor Uba Sani’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Musa, the Deputy Governor appealed to both the company’s management and the union to find common ground and work toward an amicable resolution of their differences.
She also encouraged regular dialogue to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
Speaking at the meeting, Comrade Wisdom Chidi Nwachukwu, National Vice President (Distribution) of the National Union of Electricity Employees, clarified that the union was not opposed to workforce downsizing but insisted that due process must be followed and workers’ entitlements fully paid.
He acknowledged that both the union and management are part of the same organization, but stressed the need for proper procedures in implementing any staff reductions.
Comrade Nwachukwu assured that the Deputy Governor’s appeal would be communicated to the union’s national leadership, expressing confidence that the dispute would be resolved soon.