The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have picketed the headquarters of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company in Kaduna over the recent hike in electricity tariff in the country.
The organised labour as early as 6.00am had stormed the Corporate Head Officer of the Kaduna Electric along the ever busy Bank Road by Ahmadu Bello Way in Kaduna metropolis and picketed it.
They carried placards and chanted solidarity songs as they laid siege to the office.
The Labour members led by Kaduna NLC and TUC chairmen, Comrades Ayuba Magaji Suleiman and Alhassan Danfulani, called for immediate reversal of the tariff which is currently taken its toll on the ordinary Nigerians.
Speaking with journalists, Suleiman said the organised labour also kicked against alleged segregation by the electricity sector through class differentiation in supply while urging the Federal Government to also reverse the privatisation of the distribution sub-sector of the electricity industry.
He added that rather than improving power supply, the privatised distribution sub-sector were making profits at the detriments of Nigerians.
The Chairman said, “we have achieved the purpose of this picketing because we want to go and get ready. We might receive yet another instruction from our national officers either to continue tomorrow or to stop.
“We want to make it clear that NLC, TUC or rather the organised labour are saying capital no to the hike in tariff of electricity.
“NLC, TUC are saying a capital NO to segregation in the rendering of services of electricity in Nigeria. We see no reason why somebody will be enjoying 20 hours of supply while others are taking like 10 hours.
“We want to inform the world and Nigeria that privatisation has failed because we are paying for darkness. We are paying for light but we are given darkness in return.
“So, by extension, what we are saying is that the Federal Government should retrieve back and take over this issue of privatisation.
“All these companies should be taken back to the Federal Government so that we can remember when we have NEPA that we are enjoying light more than now.
On his part, the TUC chairman described as unfortunate the increased tariff on electricity when Nigerians were yet to come to terms with the current reality following the subsidy removal by the Federal Government.
“We are all Nigerians. We are hoping that when they give light for hours, the volume of electricity in one house is not different from others.
“Majority of citizens in Nigeria are not having light, yet they pay for the darkness they are given us. As they increase tariffs on electricity, nobody other than the ordinary Nigerians will suffer for the hike.
“When you increase the cost of electricity, every goods and services will increase and by extension, every Nigerian will be affected. We are not through with the fuel scarcity yet before the hike in electricity tariff, come,” Danfulani added.
NewsNGR reports that the NLC, and its counterpart TUC, had earlier given the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, till May 12 to withdraw the recent hike in electricity tariff or face unprecedented industrial action.
The ultimatum was issued in a joint letter to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, dated May 3, 2024, and copied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, the Ministers of Labour and Power and the electricity distribution companies, DisCos, among others, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, President of NLC and its TUC’s counterpart.
“We give you until Sunday, May 12, 2024, to comply. Failure to do so will result in swift and decisive action on our part as we will not hesitate to mobilise our members and occupy all NERC’s offices and those of the DisCos nationwide until justice is served,” it read.