The organised Labour has picketed Electricity Distribution Company offices across the nation over the recent electricity tariff hike for customers on Band ‘A’ categorization.
Currently, the Labour members led by Kaduna NLC and TUC chairmen, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman and Comrade Alhassan Danfulani, called for immediate reversal of the tariff as they picket the Kaduna office of the Disco.
They vehemently kicked against the segregation by the electricity sector through class differentiation in supply.
The Labour leaders also urged the federal government to reverse the privatisation of the distribution sub-sector of the electricity industry.
They argued that the privatised distribution sub-sector has done nothing but cheated Nigerians and making profit at the detriment of underserved citizens.
Also in Ebonyi State, Labour picketed the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) offices in Abakaliki, capital.
The workers joined their counterparts across the country to protest the hike in electricity tariff.
They were led by Ebonyi Nigerian Labour Congress(NLC) chairman, Ogugua Egwu and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Chidi Igboji.
They visited the NERC office at Nsugbe street, EEDC offices at Awolowo street and Town Planning Road beside Abakaliki Correctional Centre.
Bearing placards, the workers chanted songs to express displeasure over the hike in electricity tariffs.
Some of the placards read, “NLC say no to electricity tariff increase”; ‘NLC demands reversal of electricity tariff hike,; “Nigerian Govt let the poor breathe and Nigerian reject electricity tariff hike’.
Egwu described the increase as a reckless and wicked policy.
“We are here to tell the world that their heartlessness, recklessness and wickedness against ordinary Nigerians must be stopped”
“We are here to say that the recent tariff increase for Band A from 65 naira to over N225 representing 340 percent increase must be reversed”
“If it is not reversed by govt who have decided to sufferer us we must continue to picket all EEDC and NERC offices till the hike is reversed,” he said.
Igboji said the increase will lead to continued impoverishment of the poor masses.
“This increase is evil because it is meant to ensure that the poor masses will continue to be poor and we the Organised Labor in Ebonyi state are saying no to this increase. What we are saying is that EEDC and NERC should let the poor breathe,” he said.
