Labour Unions in Ondo State, on Monday, grounded business and commercial activities during a peaceful mass demonstration against the astronomical increase in electricity tariff by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
The unions, under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) joined their counterparts nationwide in a simultaneous protest to kick against the obnoxious increment.
They were angry over the 45 percent hike in electricity billing which took effect this, February, nationwide despite repeated public outcry.
The protesting labour unions, who were joined in the solidarity protest by the landlord associations and different civil society organizations in the state, shut down operation at the headquarters office of the BEDC in Akure.
The protesters disallowed free flow of vehicular movement on the popular Isinkan/Nepa road for many hours.
Some of their placards read- “No Meter, No Payment”; “45% Electricity Tariff Increase, An Exploitation Of Highest Order”; “Electricity Is A Social Services And Not To Be Commercialized”.
State Chairperson of the NLC, Bosede Daramola, who addressed journalists said they picketed the electricity company for failing to meet the expectations of the consumers nationwide despite its privatization.
Daramola said the 45 percent increase in the Electricity Tarrif was meant to further compound the present economic recession on the Nigeria consumers.
She decried the total shortage of electricity supply to all household in the state and accused the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of disobeying court order.
The NLC state chairperson recalled that there was a subsisting court order dated May 28th, 2015 by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court Ikoyi, Lagos, stopping the increase in the Tarrif.
“The case was instituted by Tolulope Yemi Adebiyi versus NERC with order stopping any indiscriminate increase in Electricity Tarrif.
“Fellow Nigerians, the Electricity Tarrif increase by 45% is to punish hapless Artisans, Iyaloja, Lanlords/Tenants, improvised workers and the general public. This must stop”, Daramola declared.
The union leaders vowed to resist all untoward actions of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) until its management reversed the unfavorable decision against the consumers.
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