Electricity tariff hike: Labour grounds activities at NERC, TCN, AEDC, Power ministry
…rejects NERC’s appeal, insists on total reversal of tariff hike
. Nigerians not supporting electricity tariff hike – SSANU
By Ukpono Ukpong
The organised labour, on Monday, made true their threat to ground activities at the at the headquarters of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), as well as the Ministry of Power if the recent electricity tariff hike was not reversed.
The protesters, led by the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero and his counterpart from the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, converged as early as 8:00am, at the NERC headquarters to express their demand the immediate reversal of what they described as arbitrary increase in electricity tariff without consultation with the stakeholders.
The commission had astronomically increased the electricity tariff across the nation from N65/kwh to N225/Kwh – the development that got many Nigerians angry, with the organised labour given May 12 ultimatum for the reversal.
Addressing the protesters, the NLC President, Ajaero, who led the picketing exercise, lashed government officials for failing to consult with Labour stakeholders before announcing the increase.
He said Nigerian workers and people deserve access to constant and affordable electricity supply, adding that the workforce remains the worst hit by such an increase.
READ ALSO: President Tinubu directs govt agencies to procure CNG…
Ajaero said Nigerians are currently wallowing in what he described as “power poverty” given the abysmal low supply of electricity.
Speaking further, he said that the current supply generated by Nigeria is not even enough for Lagos, which is just one state in Nigeria, adding that the move by the NERC to hike tariff without engagements with stakeholders in the power sector was faulty.
“We are here on a peaceful protest, having written so many letters to NERC to remind them that they cannot increase tariffs without meeting with Nigerians. We reminded them that the process of increasing tariffs requires that they meet with all stakeholders, including labour.
“We do not know where this current tariff is coming from. NERC is not oblivious to the fact that Nigeria is wallowing in lower poverty. Nigeria is down the line as one of the countries in the world that are poor in terms of power supply.
“What Nigeria is generating Today is not enough for Lagos alone and it is bad enough for you now to tell us that some Nigerians are bigger than the others. It is bad enough for you to say some Nigerians will get 20 hours while other Nigerians will get two hours.” He said
Addressing the visibly angry protesters, the Chairman of the NERC, Sanusi Garba, said the commission would go back to the drawing board as regards some of the demands listed by the organised labour.
He said: “On behalf of the NERC, I want to welcome the comrades who have come here on a peaceful demonstration. We have taken note of all you have said, particularly about the affordability of tariffs. We have listened to you and the concerns of Nigerians.
“We also noted clearly what comrade Ajaero said about energy sources, and I would like to say that the new Zungeru power plant is already online generating over 600 megawatts. We are also working hard to ramp up solar generation in such a way that tariff will start to come down.
“Comrade Ajaero also made remarks about banks sitting on the boards of distribution companies. The NERC had earlier given deadlines to all the banks to exit from the boards of distribution companies because we want proper investors on the boards of these companies.
“We have noted your concerns and we will go back to the drawing board.”
But the protesters shouted on top of their voice that they didn’t want “going back to the drawing board” but a total reversal of the hike to the status quo, while chanting, “No, No, reverse the hike, we demand total reversal of electricity tariff hike”.
Meanwhile, Dr Taiwo Arobadi, the Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), has said that Nigerians are not in support of electricity tariff hike.
Arobadi stated this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday, in Ile-Ife.
He said that the masses were not finding life easy since May 29, 2023 that the fuel subsidy was removed.
According to him, the NLC and TUC protested against the electricity tariff hike in which SSANU OAU too joined, but on getting to the head office of the DisCo in Ile-Ife, the gate was locked.
Arobadi therefore called on the Federal Government to remove the increment in tariff on the basis of restructuring.
“President Bola Tinubu should take one step after the other; doing everything at once is affecting Nigerians, civil servants are suffering and business men and women are not finding it easy.
“Masses are dying gradually, petrol is selling at the rate of between N850 and N950, by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
” Meanwhile, major marketers like: BOVAB, Total, NIPCO, Matrix, Mobil are selling control price but one will spend the whole day before getting it.
“The price of foodstuffs and other goods in the markets are not affordable, so we are pleading with the government to soften things for the citizenry,” he said.
Arobadi emphasised that workers’ salaries are not increasing, while the new minimum wage had not been settled, the government should not add to the load of hardship by hike in tariff again.
