PIC. 3. PHCN DISTRIBUTION CENTERS ON WUNTI STREET AND YANDOKA ROAD CHAINED AND LOCKED DURING THE PROTEST BY NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC) OVER INCREASE OF ELECTRICITY TARIFF, IN BAUCHI ON MONDAY (8/2/16). 0757/8/2/2016/DJ/EO/BJO/NAN
The Borno State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Civil Society Organizations (CLO) has declared that the recent increase of 45 per cent electricity tariff by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) was illegal, unjustifiable and meant to further exploit Nigerians.
Addressing the management of Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), in Maiduguri after a peaceful street protest on Monday, the NLC Chairman, Comrade Ali Titus Abana explained that the Nigerian workers are against the increase in electricity tariff for five reasons, including failure to follow due process in implementing the hike.
His words: “Congress therefore, rejects the increase on the following grounds: First, due process in the extant for such increment was not followed in consonance with section 76 of the Power Sector Reforms. There has been no significant improvement in the service deliveries of DISCOS.
“Most consumers are not metered in line with the signed privatization Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of November 1, 2013, which stipulates that within 18 months gestation period; all consumers are to be metered.”
He however noted that there was a subsisting court order of May 28, 2015 by Justice Mohammed Idriss of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos in the case of Toluwani Yemi Adebiyi vs NERC and others.
Abana also feared that the power consumption hikes may compound the country’s economic recession, as revenues from oil sales has plunged by 50 per cent this year.
He stated that the protestation by labour, was to drive home the fact that the unilateral and unlawful hikes of electricity tariff will be resisted by consumers under the auspices of NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and CLO.
He therefore called on the individuals and groups to support the civil action by also clamouring for a reversal of the electricity tariff increase.
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