Nigerians, their economy dying from electricity tariff hike, says NLC 

 

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has urged the Federal Government to stop implementing policies that will “kill Nigeria and its economy”.

 

Ajaero said this in a statement in reaction to the recent move by DISCOS to hike the electricity tariff for Band A customers.

 

Discos across the country on Wednesday announced an increment for Band A customers. The new announcements come months after the previous increment.

 

Recall that the Federal Government through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission ordered the immediate upward review of electricity tariffs from Wednesday, 3 April.

 

Band A customers are offered an average daily electricity supply of 20 hours, although many complain they do not get up to that.

 

In a statement he personally signed on Thursday, Ajaero noted that the new increment came on the heels of unresolved contestations around the insane 250% hike in tariff leading to national paralysis including the shutting down of 300 businesses as per MAN.

 

“The 250% hike drew the ire of the citizenry and rage of organised labour whose members went on a one-day protest for its unreasonableness and violation of extant rules of tariff hike.

 

“We had demanded a reversal. The only reason that action was paused was a firm assurance from relevant quarters including the National Assembly that the matter would be dealt with quietly.

 

“That there is another hike instead of a reversal (as promised) is further proof of the insincerity of the government just as it is equally a measure of the government’s insensitivity. We have no doubt that this frequent crass display of insincerity and insensitivity will pit the people against the government or vice versa.

 

“The three excuses given by DISCOs (exchange rate, interest rate, and cost of gas) as justification for this increase underscore our argument that government and entities in the energy sector are not serious about finding an enduring solution to our energy crisis. For, clearly, they are treating the symptoms.

 

“Given the further damage this latest wave of increase will do to our economy, we demand an immediate reversal of the hike. It is unjustifiable, unreasonable, and malevolent. Government and DISCOs should stop killing the people and the economy.”