NLC Opposes Electricity Tariff Hike, Threatens Nationwide Protests

By Chimezie Godfrey

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly rejected the Federal Government’s proposal to regularise electricity tariffs for customers in Bands A, B, and C, warning of mass protests across the country if the government proceeds with its plan.

In a communique released on Sunday following the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Yola, Adamawa State, the labour union voiced its firm opposition to the tariff adjustments.

The NLC’s decision came after Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, announced last Thursday that consumers in lower tariff bands would be upgraded to Band A.

The NLC, in the Communique signed by its General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja, condemned what it described as the “forceful migration” of consumers from lower bands to Band A. The union stressed that the reclassification was a covert attempt to increase tariffs under the pretense of improving services.

“On the Migration of Electricity Consumers with a view to increasing tariff: NEC unequivocally rejects the ongoing sham reclassification of electricity consumers by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), which seeks to forcefully migrate consumers from lower bands to Band A under the guise of service improvement while, in reality, imposing unjustified extortion on the masses,” the NLC stated.

The union has warned that it would lead mass protests nationwide if the government continues with the proposed tariff adjustments, which it believes would place an unfair burden on Nigerians.