BY VICTORIA ONU, ABUJA
THE Nigeria Labour Congress has condemned the recent increase in electricity tariff as announced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
The Commission had announced that in compliance with the provisions of the EPSR Act and the nation’s tariff methodology for biannual minor review, it adjusted the rates for service bands A, B, C, D and E by N2 to N4 per kWh to reflect the partial impact of inflation and movement in forex.
“Tariff for customers on service bands D & E (customers being served less than an average of 12 hours of supply per day over a period of one month) remains frozen and subsidised in line with the policy direction of the Federal Government,” the Commission had stated.
But reacting to the increase, the NLC in a statement signed by its President, Ayuba Wabba, said that the hike in electricity tariff apart from negating the agreement reached with government in September 2020, would further imperil the local economy.
This, he noted, would lead to loss of jobs by Nigerian workers and increase the level of poverty.
The Congress decried the possible impact of the increased tariff on the Nigerian manufacturing sector, noting that the producers of Made-in-Nigeria goods and services would find it difficult to cope with the new tariff.
The NLC stated, “Before now, many manufacturing concerns and Small to Medium Enterprises were already reeling in great strain as a result of the negative growth occasioned by the first wave of the COVID pandemic in 2020.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that this tariff hike would sound the death knell for many manufacturing outfits in Nigeria as many of them would resort to either mass lay-off of workers and or direct importation of finished goods.
“This volte face is contrary to our agreement with government which excluded Band D and E from further increases in electricity tariff. This clearly paints a picture of deliberate mission by government to hoodwink and take Nigerians for a ride.”
According to the Congress, the hike is coming in the face of the renewed onslaught of COVID-19 where workers and citizens expend their meagre resources on healthcare both for preventive and therapeutic response to the renewed COVID-19 challenge.
“We urge the Federal Government to quickly withdraw this uncanny New Year Gift or face an unprecedented industrial resistance by Nigerian workers. Nigerians have bled enough already. We will bleed no more,” it added.
