The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has completely condemned and rejected the increase in electricity tariff by the Abuja DISCO. The NLC also urged the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to take a decisive action on the plan by DISCOs to hike electricity tariff in the country; saying that the company is inflicting psychological trauma on Nigerians.
Ayuba Wabba, the NLC president, on Tuesday in Abuja made the call in a statement titled: “Increase in Electricity Tariff by Abuja DISCOs – a taunting of the will of the Nigerian people gone too far”.
The congress, therefore, declared that the increase will be resisted by the Nigerian working class and people.
Mr Wabba said the organised labour would mobilise Nigerian workers to resist the increase in electricity tariff by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), effective from September 1.
In a statement released late Tuesday night and signed by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the congress expressed dismay that the Abuja DISCO went ahead to increase the tariff despite the resolution of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the direct orders of President Muhammadu Buhari, that the plans by DISCOs to hike electricity tariff should be suspended until further notice.
“We are not aware of any order by the government or the elected representatives of the Nigerian people de-freezing the order to suspend any plans to inflict more pocket and psychological trauma on Nigerians by way of reckless and insensitive hike in electricity tariff,” Wabba said.
The NLC President said: “It appears that the adamant desire of DISCOs in Nigeria to ram through their ill-conceived agenda to further impoverish Nigerians through astronomical tariff increase amidst a plummeting return on service delivery has now been deregulated.
“The DISCOs appear to have given themselves the ignoble tasks of taunting and testing the will of the Nigerian people. Abuja DISCO has adorned the robe of the protagonist with its recent announcement of a new tariff plan for electricity consumers within the sphere of its service area.”
He added: “We wish to state that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) seriously frowns at, completely condemns and totally rejects any plan to inflict further pain on Nigerians at this very time of great economic distress. The new dribble by the Abuja DISCO is dead on arrival as it will be resisted by the Nigerian working class and people. The other DISCOs should not bother putting their ships of exploitation to sail.
“The NLC is also deeply concerned on the deaf and dumb posture of the state electricity regulator – the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). It is important to put it on record that the NERC would be putting its name on the wrong side of history if it continues to play the ostrich while a group of portfolio investors make a bloodmeal of Nigerians. Nigerian electricity consumers need the NERC to speak up and act in the defence of the rights of the Nigerian people. A word is indeed enough for the wise.”