Barring a change of mind, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) will from today disrupt operations of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Distribution Companies (DisCOs), as they will begin nationwide picketing of the organisations over failure to reverse the energy tariff hike. From a joint meeting held on Saturday and Sunday by the two labour centres at NLC headquarters in Abuja, The Guardian gathered that all the state councils and affiliates have been mobilised for action until further notice.
The labour centres had some weeks ago threatened to occupy offices of the NERC and the DisCos across the federation if the government does not reverse the increase from N225/Kwh to N65/Kwh before Sunday, May 12.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero and his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo, in a letter earlier addressed to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NERC, titled ‘Electricity Tariff Hike: Reverse or Face Resistance’, warned that failure to heed the notice would be met with industrial disharmony.
According to Ajaero, since the correspondences were dispatched to the relevant authorities, no response had been received from any of them.
He said the picketing would continue until the Federal Government overturns the decision, stressing that organised labour considers the increase as unreasonable and draconian in the face of the hardship in the country.
The NLC boss stated that the decision was not just morally reprehensible considering the difficulties Nigerians face currently, but also blatantly disregarded fundamental principles and statutory obligations.
Stressing that it is a slap in the face of justice and fairness, Ajaero vowed: “And we will not stand idly by as the masses and workers are subjected to such unacceptable exploitation.”
Osifo, on his part, said the tariff hike did not only defy established procedure mandated by law, but equally trampled upon the rights of Nigerians.
He restated that workers had been fully mobilised for a successful nationwide exercise.
The TUC helmsman added that civil societies in the South-West are participating.
“All workers will from today resume duty at the offices of the NERC and DisCos nationwide.
“Nigerian workers and masses, led by the NLC and TUC, stand united in denouncing this injustice. We must defend the rights of our fellow citizens against exploitation,” Osifo stated.
