The Kogi State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday stormed the office of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in Lokoja to protest against the hike in electricity tariffs.
The state Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Gabriel Amari, said the increase in electricity tariffs by the federal government is a daylight robbery on Nigerians.
The NLC Chairman appealed to the government to reverse the electricity tariffs, stressing that, the present administration has continued to cause untold hardship to innocent Nigerians.
“The increase in electricity tariffs is a broad day robbery, which will not be accepted. They promised us change, but we failed to ask questions about what kind of change they were bringing on board.
“The government should know that people are suffering with their obnoxious policies. Nigerians are paying for electricity that they are not using. It is under this administration that we are witnessing discrimination in the distribution of power. We can’t continue like this,” he stated.
According to Amari, failure of the government to reverse the increase in tariffs will mean a shot down on the power sector.
“Privatisation of the electricity sector is a complete failure and fraudulent. Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), we are saying no to discrimination in electricity distribution.We will continue to resist every form of exploitation by this government,” he added.
According to him, labour is the only voice that can stop the obnoxious policies of government that are anti people.
He said, “The government promised a new minimum wage but failed to implement it. All they know how to do is to increase electricity tariffs without putting the masses into consideration. Nigerians are really suffering. It is high time the government listened attentively to the voices of Nigerians who are calling for an end to their bad policies.”
He called on the government to give all Nigerians a uniform band and equal hours of electricity
The NLC Vice Chairman, Comrade Eleoja Opaluwa, called for the immediate withdrawal of the new electricity tariffs, stressing that, the power sector have been neglected for several years by the government.
