After observing Nigerians groan at the various fuel stations for weeks, 0 electricity supply nationwide, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has resolved to organize a one day protest and national warning strike over the state of the nation, especially the increase in electricity tariff.
NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, disclosed this yesterday at the opening session of the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the congress at the Labour House in Abuja.
Wabba said the planned strike was in response to the prevailing economic situation in the country and to government on its toes to ensure that the people get the best result from the present administration.
According to him, Nigerians are feeling the heat and harsh realities of the economic crisis in the country, the immediate cause being the drastic fall in the price of crude oil.
The NLC president decried the 45 per cent increase in electricity tariff, saying it was “illegal, unfair, unjustifiable and a further exploitation of the already exploited Nigerians.”
Wabba pointed out that the due process in the extant laws for such an increment was not followed in consonance with Section 76 of the Power Sector Reform Act, 2005.
He noted that there had not been significant improvement in service delivery coupled with the fact that most consumers were not metered in accordance with the signed Privatization Memorandum (MoU) of November 21, 2013 which stipulates that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers are to be metered.
He regretted that despite the national action organized by the congress in the 36 states of the federation including Abuja, which was adjudged as hugely successful, nothing had been done to revert the hike in tariff.
According to him, the privatization of the power sector was done in bad faith and it has become obvious that the investors do not have the capacity to improve power generation and supply in the country.
He said the CWC would agree on a day to embark on the strike, because according to him, several actions promised by the federal government to check the tariff increase have not been implemented.
“While the process is on, the tariff increase has remained, and under a worsening power supply situation. Not a few Nigerians are groaning under this burden. Not a few of them look to the congress for a solution,” he said.
