The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) Plc has approved salary increases for all its employees following an agreement reached with two recognised labour unions.
The new salary adjustment will take effect from December 1, according to a statement released by the electricity distribution company’s management in Benin on Sunday.
The agreement was reached during a meeting held on November 6 between BEDC management, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC).
The meeting was chaired by BEDC’s Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Lawani.
SSAEAC was represented by its Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Innocent Lord-Douglas, while Comrade Mbang Ntukubes represented NUEE.
In the statement, Lawani said the successful conclusion of negotiations, which commenced in March, reflected the management’s commitment to improving employees’ welfare and strengthening the company’s overall performance.
“The successful conclusion of this joint negotiation and review process reflects our shared commitment to staff welfare and the overall performance of BEDC,” he said.
However, he described the recent industrial action embarked upon by workers as avoidable, noting that it caused revenue losses, damaged the company’s reputation and created difficulties for electricity consumers.
Lawani expressed disappointment that the strike took place before the agreed deadline for concluding negotiations, as reiterated during the October 7 meeting.
He further disclosed that BEDC’s approved operational expenditure framework had remained largely unchanged since 2013 despite increasing operational costs and changing economic conditions.
According to him, the company can only access its full approved operational expenditure allocation by meeting specified revenue collection performance targets, while failure to meet the requirements leads to reduced allocations.
BEDC management said the situation highlighted the financial challenges facing the company and the need to strike a balance between employees’ welfare and long-term business sustainability.
The electricity distribution company also praised the leadership of NUEE and SSAEAC for their cooperation and constructive contributions towards resolving the dispute.
It reiterated its commitment to transparency, mutual respect and peaceful industrial relations, stressing that staff welfare remains a key component of its transformation agenda.
The company added that the agreement would help rebuild trust, strengthen collaboration and promote shared responsibility between management and organised labour.