Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged Federal Government of Nigeria not to increase electricity tariff in order to make life meaningful to her citizens.
NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero said this in a statement issued on Thursday with titled: “Shelve this tariff hike”.
According to Ajaero, the plan to increase electricity tariff by 40 per cent by July 1 would further compound the current hardship of ordinary Nigerians.
The NLC president said that the proposed hike would lead to a ripple effect by other product or service providers in the country.
He noted that the ordinary Nigerians needed to be protected from these economic vagaries that is suddenly thrust on them.
“The massive increase is explained away as a response to the over 100 per cent increase in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS).
“Details reveal a movement in inflation from 16.9 per cent to 22.41 (threatening to needle 30), and a shift in exchange rate from N441 to N750. We believe not even these figures are a justification for this proposed tariff increase.
“The issue of capacity to pay and quality of service delivery are not only germane but superior to any rationalisation by market logic. The service providers in spite of sundry support have not been able to meet the threshold of 5,000 megawatts.
“We would want to advise apostles of the Market who have called NLC all sorts of names to check their conscience. The rate at which they are going is highly combative and combustible,” Ajaero said.