Members of the organized labour have announced plans to shut down offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Distribution Companies (DisCos) across the country.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the move was aimed at pressuring the Federal Government to reverse the recent electricity tariff hike.
The action comes in response to the commission’s decision to significantly raise electricity tariffs, which has been met with widespread disapproval from consumers.
The controversy ignited when NERC implemented a staggering increase in electricity tariffs, raising rates from N65/kWh to N225/kWh for Band A users.
Despite a subsequent marginal reduction approved by the Federal Government, labour unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have remained steadfast in their demand for a complete reversal of the hike.
Last week, both the NLC and TUC issued stern warnings to NERC, urging the commission to reverse the tariff hike before Sunday, May 12.
Additionally, they demanded an end to what they termed as the “discriminatory practice” of categorizing electricity consumers into arbitrary bands.
In a recent update, Benson Upah, the head of information at NLC headquarters, announced plans for a coordinated protest, inviting journalists to cover the picketing of NERC headquarters in Abuja.
According to Upah, members of the labour movement will convene at Labour House by 7:00 am to commence the shutdown of NERC and DisCos offices nationwide.
The move signifies a united front by labour unions to address the concerns of electricity consumers and advocate for fair and affordable tariff rates.
With the impending shutdown of NERC and DisCos offices, the pressure on the government to address the grievances of the populace regarding electricity tariffs is expected to intensify.
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