Organised labor in Nigeria, under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), has issued a deadline of May 12, 2024, to the federal government and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to reverse the recent hike in electricity tariff to N65/kwh or face picketing of the commission's offices and those of Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) nationwide.
This decision was made following NERC's announcement of an increase in electricity tariffs on Band A customers from N65 per kilowatt hour (kwh) to N225/kWh last month, following the government's partial removal of electricity subsidies.
The decision has attracted widespread condemnation from electricity consumers across the country, including organized labor and private sector stakeholders.
In a letter addressed to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NERC and jointly signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero and his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo, the two labor centers demanded the immediate reversal of the hike in electricity tariff and the cessation of the discriminatory segregation of electricity consumers into arbitrary bands.
They also demanded the restoration of the supremacy of the statutes governing the conduct of operators within the electricity industry.
Organized labor accused NERC of bias and alleged that it has become a tacit collaborator in crafting the oppressive pricing regime being perpetuated against Nigerian workers and people.
The labor movement said that the laws that set up the electricity commission mandated it to act as an unbiased ombudsman in the electricity industry, but unfortunately, NERC had acted in cahoots with the DISCOs and the Generating Companies (GENCOs) to promote their nefarious market practices.
The announced tariff hike not only defies the established procedure mandated by law but also tramples upon the rights of Nigerian citizens.
In the warning letter, the labor movement stated that failure to reverse the tariff hike by Sunday, May 12, 2024, would result in swift and decisive action on the part of the workers, as they would not hesitate to mobilize their members and occupy all NERC’s offices and those of the DISCOs nationwide until justice is served.
Following the deadline, the leadership of NLC wrote to all its state branches to mobilize workers in readiness for the picketing, which is slated for Monday, May 13, 2024.
Furthermore, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, defended the proposal submitted by labor for a new minimum wage of N90,000 for Nigerian workers. During a news program on Arise Television, he stated that the proposed amount took into consideration the current cost of living in the country.
He also responded to the concerns of employers of labor, especially those in the private sector, saying that since the cost of goods and services in the country has skyrocketed, the workers have no choice than to demand commensurate pay rise.
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