Electricity Tariff Increase: Labour Threatens To Shut Down DISCOS

Sequel to the proposed plan by the federal government to increase electricity tariff on February 1, 2016, the organised labour and its Civil Society allied have threatened to picket all DISCOs’ offices nationwide and organise a mass protest to reject any bill with the new tariff.

This was disclosed to newsmen on Friday during the National Executive Council meeting of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Lagos.

In his address, NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Waba said any attempt by the federal government to increase tariff would amount to the total shut down of both DISCO and GENCO.

According to him, The increment at this time negates the present biting and prevailing economic recession vis-a-vis an attempt to further impoverish the poor masses.

NLC regarded the proposed increment as illegal, unfair, unjustifiable and further exploitation of exploited Nigerians.

 

“There have been no significant improvement in service delivery, upon the fact that most consumers are not metered in accordance with the signed privatisation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of November 1, 2013, which stipulated that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers are to be metered”, he said.

 

His counterpart from Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama stressed that labour would ensure they stop the increment, adding that Nigerians at this present time are facing challenges as a result of naira depreciation and bad economy of the country.

 

He therefore called on all Nigerians to support the labour to stop the unnecessary increase and do the needful.

 

“Rule of law must be strictly adhered to by the federal government because there is a subsisting court order dated 28th May, 2015 by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High court Ikoyi, in the case of Toluwani Yemi-Adebiyi vesus NERC & ors, that no increment until the determination of the substantive suit.

 

Labour therefore directed all consumers to reject any bill with the new tariff, and so many other actions they may deem necessary.

 

It would be recalled that in December 2015, the Minister  of Power, Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said Nigerians should expect increase in electricity tariff in no distant time.

 

According to him, “By far the most complex challenge is the problem of tariff. It is complex because it is more in the hands of citizens than in the hands of Government.

 

“The role of Government is to set the tariff and in doing so, Government has committed to what is called a Multi-Year Tariff Order. This was done in order to attract investors to the market; otherwise we will not have achieved the privatization if the price of the product is not attractive to the investors”, Fashola said.