New electricity tariff: NLC, TUC shut down Enugu disco

“This is corruption and it is ripping Nigerians off their money”, he said, adding that labour would continue to protest the 45 per cent increase until it was reversed or there was a substantive improvement in electricity supply.

“We are also going to the National Assembly because they are the true representatives of the people”.

Contrary to expectations, the protests were not held at the different areas where offices of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) were, but at the main office in Ikeja.

The NLC chairman also said that the increase was in disobedience to an existing order of a Lagos High Court.

President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba called on the Federal Government to review the process leading to the privatisation of the power sector by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

He said: “Regrettably, since they took over, the prepaid meters have not been supplied”.

Echoing a similar view, the State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Akinyemi Olatunji, said the DISCOS had no power to increase electricity tariff since there is a suit on the matter which has been pending in court since May 2015.

“Due process was not followed in consonance with Section 78 of Power Reform act”.

They added that most consumers are not metered in accordance with the signed privatization Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of November 1, 2013, which stipulates that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers must be metered.

Conversely, the chairman, Industrial Global Union Sub Sahara Africa and secretary general of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), comrade Issa Aremu has declared support for the planned picketing of all offices of the electricity distribution companies (DISCOS) by the labour and civil societies today saying that it was in order.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has described the increased electricity tariffs as “a painful pill”, appealing to consumers to “swallow” it.

He said: “The new tariff is an indirect way of exploiting the consumers”. He said electricity consumers can actually reduce their cost of electricity by being conservative with power.

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