Electricity workers, under FIRSTPOWER, a subcontractor to Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), on Thursday, protested alleged harassment, intimidation, and the unlawful arrest of four staff members by the company’s management.
The protesters, who stormed the premises of the power company at the EEDC District Office in Awka, Anambra State, as early as 8 a.m., alleged the arrested members, which included a mother of three, were arrested in collaboration with the Anti-Robbery Unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
The protest, led by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), was occasioned by the continued detention of the affected workers since Thursday, July 31, a development it described as a violation of the company’s Conditions of Service and existing labor agreements.
The protesting workers locked up the main entrance to the Awka office, disrupting operations and preventing access to the premises, as stranded customers lamented the ugly development.
Addressing newsmen during the protest, NUEE Zonal Organising Secretary and Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Anambra State chapter, Comrade Ifeanyi Nweke, decried the alleged treatment of employees like armed robbers, insisting that established disciplinary processes must be followed.
“We do not condone fraud or malpractice, but our members are not criminals and must not be treated like armed robbers. There are established internal procedures for handling such matters, and those must be respected,” he said.
In a separate statement, NUEE regretted that the workers remained among the worst-paid in Nigeria, despite their vital role in powering homes, businesses, and government institutions. Describing a “deteriorating and oppressive working environment” for electricity workers under EEDC across the South-East, the union called for urgent intervention.
“Over 80 percent of workers earn less than ₦60,000 monthly, with many still on salary structures unchanged since 2014, despite the country’s worsening inflation and economic crisis,” it added.