The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has initiated picketing and potential shutdown of various offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) across the nation in protest of the recent electricity tariff hike.
The move which has kicked off in numerous states was confirmed by Benson Upah, head of information at NLC headquarters, who called for media coverage of the event on Sunday.
The protesting workers have shut down the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) in Plateau State. They barricaded the main entrance of the company’s headquarters, causing disruption for the staff who are unable to access the building.
Surrounding the premises are security forces from the police, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Meanwhile Comrade Gabriel Amari, Chairman of NLC in Kogi State, strongly denounced the tariff increase as “daylight robbery” during a picketing of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in Lokoja.
He urged the government to consider the plight of the masses and reverse the tariff hike to avoid further unrest in the power sector.
Amari emphasized that failure to address these concerns would lead to a complete shutdown of the power sector, highlighting the perceived failure of privatization in the electricity industry. He vowed to resist any form of exploitation and discrimination in electricity distribution.
Other states are currently experiencing similar protests. The joint action stems from the failure of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Distribution Companies (DisCos) to heed the demands of NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) for a complete reversal of the tariff increase. The tariff was raised from N65/kWh to N225/kWh for Band A users, a move that has been widely criticized.
The government’s partial reduction of the tariff was rejected by labour unions, who set a deadline for full reversal by May 12. They also condemned NERC’s practice of categorizing consumers into arbitrary bands, labeling it as discriminatory.
