The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described the federal government’s silence on the April 3 electricity tariff hike as disappointing.
NLC disclosed this in its
communique on Tuesday after its National Executive Council meeting where it
suspended its indefinite strike for one week.
The development comes after the
federal government in a meeting with organized labour on Monday agreed to pay
minimum wage higher than N60,000.
However, the government has yet
to say anything about the second part of labour’s demand, which is electricity
tariff reversal.
NLC expressed disappointment
over the government’s silence and lack of concrete action regarding the
reversal of the electricity tariff hike and the abolition of the apartheid
classification of electricity consumers into Bands.
“The NEC reaffirms that these
issues are critical to alleviating the financial burden on Nigerian workers and
the general populace. The electricity tariff hike and discriminatory Band
classification remain unacceptable and must be addressed alongside the wage
increase,” it stated.
Recall that on April 3, the
NERC approved tariff increment of over N200 per kwh for customers getting 20-24
hours power supply.
The hike generated reactions
among Nigerians.
In reaction, the government
earlier announced a minor reduction of N18, bringing it down to N208.80kwh for
band A customers.
However, unsatisfied with the
reduction, the NLC, the Trade Union Congress and other organizations called for
the complete reversal of the electricity tariff hike.
It was part of the demand
presented to the federal government, alongside the issue of minimum wage.
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