Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) Plc has announced salary increases for all its staff, effective December 1, following a final agreement with two recognized labor unions. The announcement was made in a statement issued by the company’s management in Benin on Sunday.
The wage adjustment was finalized after a meeting held on November 6 between BEDC management and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC). The discussions were led by BEDC’s Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jonathan Lawani. NUEE was represented by Comrade Mbang Ntukubes, while SSAEAC was represented by its Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Innocent Lord-Douglas.
In the statement, Lawani noted that the successful conclusion of the negotiations, which began in March, demonstrated the management’s commitment to staff welfare and improved organizational performance. “The successful conclusion of this joint negotiation and review process reflects our shared commitment to staff welfare and the overall performance of BEDC,” Lawani said.
However, Lawani described recent industrial action by workers as avoidable, stating that it resulted in revenue losses, reputational damage, and hardship for electricity consumers. He expressed regret that the strike occurred before the agreed date for concluding negotiations, a timeline that had been reaffirmed at a previous meeting on October 7.
Lawani also highlighted the company’s financial constraints, explaining that BEDC’s approved operational expenditure framework had remained fundamentally unchanged since 2013 despite rising costs and prevailing economic realities. He clarified that access to the full approved operational expenditure allocation depends on meeting prescribed collection performance thresholds, with shortfalls leading to reduced allocations. The management emphasized the need to balance employee welfare with business sustainability.
BEDC commended the leadership of NUEE and SSAEAC for their cooperation and constructive engagement in reaching an amicable resolution. The company reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, mutual respect, and industrial harmony, describing employee welfare as central to its transformation agenda and viewing the agreement as a step toward strengthening trust and collaboration between management and organized labor.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
