By Admin
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected plans by the Federal Government to move customers on lower bands of electricity tariffs – B and C to Band A,.
The National Executive Committee NEC of NLC in a communique released on Sunday after its meeting in Yola, Adamawa State, vowed to lead mass nationwide protests across Nigeria should the government continue with its plan.
The move came 4 days after the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said lower bands would be upgraded to Band A.
In the communique signed by NLC General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, the union rejected the “forceful migration” of consumers from lower bands to Band A.
It said “On the Migration of Electricity Consumers with a view to increasing tariff: NEC unequivocally rejects the ongoing sham reclassification of electricity consumers by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), which seeks to forcefully migrate consumers from lower bands to Band A under the guise of service improvement while, in reality, imposing unjustified extortion on the masses,”
“This systematic exploitation, sanctioned by the Ministry of Power, is nothing short of economic violence against the working class and broader Nigerian populace.
“It is evident that the ruling elite, acting as enforcers of global monopoly capital, are determined to further deepen the misery of the Nigerian people through incessant tariff hikes, increased taxation, and relentless economic strangulation.
“Whereas inflation has soared, wages remain stagnant, and the cost of living has become unbearable, the ruling class continues to transfer the burden of their fiscal irresponsibility onto the already impoverished working masses.
“NEC-in-session warns that any attempt to announce further electricity tariff increases will be met with mass resistance.
“Consequently, the Congress resolves to immediately mobilise for a nationwide protest should the Ministry of Power and NERC proceed with their exploitative plan to further hike electricity tariffs under any guise.
“The NLC shall not stand idly by while the Nigerian people are subjected to the unholy machinations of capitalist profiteers and their state collaborators.”
The migration policy of the Power Ministry coupled with other challenges of fuel price hike, and high cost of food items have become not only additional but deadly burden on the psyche of many Nigerians.
This publication could not independently verify if the power ministry in implementing this reform carried out feasibility study particularly among different classes of users.
Migration for all categories to band A is simply an indirect way of telling Nigerians ” you can no longer use Air conditioners,fridges, heaters and iron”. A customer on Band A who spoke on condition of anonymity told current matters in Port Harcourt.
