NLC Rejects New Electricity Tariff, Subsidy Removal

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday rejected the newly introduced electricity tariff by the National Electricity Regulation Agency (NERC), adding that such move is unacceptable.

NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who briefed journalists in Abuja after the meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) which was held behind closed door for about five hours, said the Congress would not accept any tariff that would make Nigerians pay more for the electricity they did not consume.

According to him, the abolition of fixed or estimated bill was long overdue as it was making Nigerians to pay for the power that was not available adding that prepaid meters must be made available to every Nigerian before the Distribution Company (DISCO) can talk of new tariff.

“Upward review of electricity tariff is rejected out rightly. Prepaid meters must be made available while estimated bill should be stopped. The whole privatisation of NEPA should be reviewed otherwise the labour would mobilise and do the needful”, he said

Wabba lamented that the privatisation of the power sector has failed to deliver on the mandate for which it was privatised, calling on the federal government to review the process of the privatisation.

He said Labour was prepared to mobilise against the new tariff adding that it would leave no stone unturned to ensure that Nigerians are not made to pay for what they did not consume.

“The issue of other charges outside consumption charges is illegal. The removal of fixed charges is long overdue. But increasing the charges when the power is not stable is not acceptable.

Lack of meters is inefficiency because the reason for privatisation has not been met and it has not been delivered on its mandate. Nigerians have been deceived. Our resources have been used for privatisation and they were given bail out. I have seen the template, they want to increase tariff every year.”

Wabba said the federal government should refer to the submission made to it in 2013 on the way out of the subsidy regime and corruption in the petroleum sector.

“We should not continue to import product for domestic use. All OPEC countries are also refining petroleum for domestic use. The continuous importation of petroleum products has not taken us anywhere.” He said

“What we are demanding for which is clear is that we should benefit from the falling price of crude oil but because we are an import dependent nation we are not benefitting. Why must we continue to import and have subsidy in place? If we are not importing, by now we should be paying lower. ‎We remain consistent on those positions.” Wabba added.

Culled