The orgnised labour in Nigeria has held a protest against the recent hike in electricity tariff at the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) headquarters and other electricity distribution offices across the country.
NERC announced the hike in the electricity tariff for Band A customers at a press briefing on April 3 in Abuja.
However, this was objected to by Nigerians as well as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) and called for immediate reversal.
The NLC and TUC gave the NEeX a seven-day ultimatum to reverse the revised tariff.
However, the Federal Government said a reversal of the tariff would spell doom for the power sector, urging Nigerians to bear the temporary pains.
On Monday, at the expiration of the ultimatum, the labour picketed the offices of the NERC and distribution companies’ (DisCos)’s premises nationwide over the hike in electricity tariff.
In Abuja, the capital city, the NLC president, Joe Ajaero was at the vanguard of the protest.
Speaking to journalists, he said that the country cannot survive on 4,000 megawatts of electricity.
The NLC President also issued a challenge to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, to tell Nigerians which power plant it planned to construct before the end of the year, noting that the Mambilla plant could generate over 3,600 MW of electricity if it was functional.
He further said that the NERC could not continue to charge tariffs without availability and accessibility to what they were paying for, adding that the Commission was creating inflation, for which it would continue to charge Nigerians.
Ajaero, therefore, called on the Federal Government not only to reverse the planned hike but to abolish all forms of tax that could further impoverish Nigerians.
In Lagos, the workers were sighted at the corporate headquarters of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, singing and calling for the reversal of the Band A tariff.
In Oyo, protesters stormed the office of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, picketing the same.
Also, the Adamawa chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, shut down the regional offices of the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) and the office of the Electricity Regulatory Commission of Nigeria (ERCN).
Mr Emmanuel Fashe, the State NLC Chairman, who addressed members of the umion at the premises of the picketed offices in Yola, said the action was to protest exorbitant electricity tariff.
He said the tariff on Ban A has reached 300 percent, saying the indiscriminate charges was beyond the ability and capability of Nigerians.
“Our action to picket these offices was sequel to the directive from our headquarters and it is a nationwide action,” he said.
YOU MAY ALSO READ: Dozens detained in Yerevan as protesters demand Armenian Prime minister’s resignation