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Oluwasina Phillip
The Nigeria Labour Congress has condemned the proposed increase in electricity tariff, saying that if implemented, it would deploy industrial measures to defend the rights of the Nigerian workers.
Recall that Eko Electricity Distribution Company had in August notified customers of an increase in electricity tariff with effect from September 1, 2021.
The notice reads, “This is to officially notify you that there will be an increase in electricity tariff with effect from September 1, 2021. This increase is as a result of the nationwide mandate to implement the Service Based Tariff approved by our regulators.”
The notice had advised metered customers with internal vending arrangements to adjust the rates accordingly to reflect the new tariff increase as released by the NERC.
The new plan shows N2 increase per kwh from N54.08/kwh to N56.08/kwh for customers with lower power consumption capacity while MD1 customers on Band A will pay N58.94/kwh from N56.94/kwh.
“Kindly note that the increase will be reflected on the energy bill for October 2021, which will represent energy consumption for September,” it stated.
However, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba while reacting to the notice, frowned at the move.
He noted that the Federal Government and the Organised Labour Committee on Electricity Tariff had agreed to place further increases in electricity tariff on hold, until the committee concludes its work.
According to him, any increase in electricity tariff will be resisted with industrial mechanisms in defence of workers’ right.
He said, “We wish to draw your attention to the wave of speculation, especially as widely reported in the media that there are fresh plans to grant approval to Electricity Distribution Companies to hike electricity tariff.
“We write to remind the Honourable Minister that Organised Labour on September 28, 2020, through the Federal Government – Organised Labour Committee on Electricity Tariff agreed to freeze further increases in electricity tariff until the committee concludes its work and its report adopted by all the Principals in the Committee.
“It is in light of this that we dismiss the ongoing speculation on increase in electricity tariff as mere speculations.
“We, however, find it prudent to put you on notice that should government make true the swirling speculation by approving an increase in electricity tariff, Organised Labour would be left with no option than to deploy the industrial mechanisms granted in our laws for the defense of workers’ rights.”
