The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria are to commence a mass action against the recent 45 percent increase in electricity tariff by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission across the country today(Monday).
The NLC said that the mass action which is expected to hold in the 36 states and Abuja will see the Congress and their civil society allies picketing Electricity Distribution companies.
The union said “our members have been sufficiently mobilized and are ready to go. If you are an electricity consumer and you are not happy with the bills electricity companies serve you every month, you are invited to join this protest rally.
“The Abuja rally will start at Labour House, Central Business District at 8.00am before moving to the NERC head office at Adamawa Plaza, Plot 1099, First Avenue, Off Shehu Shagari Way, Central Business District.
“From the NERC office, the rally will roll to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company at Zone 4. The rally will mobilise from there to the National Assembly.”
Meanwhile, the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) wants President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately review the power sector reform embarked upon by the previous government with a view to increasing public sector involvement.
General Secretary of the Union, Comrade Issa Aremu who made the call in a statement in Abuja said the promise by the government to revive textile industries in the country will not be possible without improved power supply.
Aremu who said the union was fully in support of the planned picketing by labour and their civil society allies of all offices of the electricity distribution companies (DISCOS) nationwide including Abuja on Monday said the government should listen to suggestions of power sector unions on the issue.
He said that the Federal Government should not allow the increase in tariff “by the underperforming generating and distribution companies.
“The point cannot be overstated; Power/Energy is so strategic to the industrialisation and the wellbeing of the people,’’ the former Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress said.
He also appealed to the federal government to urgently review the privatisation contracts with the GenCos and DisCos.
Aremu said the firms should be given a two- year time-frame “to allow them stabilise and provide efficient power supply to Nigerians before they can contemplate any tariff increase. ”
The NUTGTWN General Secretary further said that there should be more transparency in all future sale of the nation’s assets.
“We reject the hike in electricity tariff and hereby call on our members across the country and all well meaning Nigerians to come out and join NLC protest to drive home the fact that the unilateral and unlawful hike of electricity tariff is unacceptable.“
“We commend NLC leadership for this mass action for improved power supply instead of incessant non-service charges,” stating that the promise and expectation that President Buhari will revive textile industry generally is not possible without electricity, ’’ the labour leader said.
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