Africa Press-Nigeria:
The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, has warned the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, not to go ahead with the planned increase in electricity tariff from April 1, 2020.
The organised labour said it would be an act of insensitivity on the part of the electricity regulatory body to go ahead now and increase tariff when the entire world including Nigeria was grappling with the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic that has traumatized mankind.
A statement issued by the President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba in Abuja on Tuesday, stated that the concern of many nations was on how to contain the ravaging pandemic, adding that many countries have given out palliative to cushion the economic hardship occasioned by Coronavirus.
Ayuba said that Nigerians and the global community have a real enemy to deal with which is the COVID-19, adding that it would be totally unwise to make enemies out of ourselves and exacerbate the high voltage social tension that currently cascades all over the country.
The statement read, “There are very strong concerns that the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) might go ahead with the planned increase in electricity tariff from tomorrow, April 1, 2020.
” The concerns in the public domain are not helped by reports that the NERC has not issued any reversal order to Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) on the planned electricity tariff increase in power utility.
“We wish to state that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) seriously frowns at, completely condemns and totally rejects any plan to inflict further pain on Nigerians at this very trying period of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic through an increase in electricity tariff.
“All the leaders of our affiliate unions were unanimous in rejecting the planned increase in electricity tariff during our recent interactive session with NERC in Kano.
