Labour Goes Tough On Tariff Hike, Shuts Down DISCOs, TCN Offices In Jos

By Akinwale Kasali

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, have shown their discontent over the hike in Electricity Tariffs. They have shut down the operations of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCo).

The non-compliance of the aforementioned organizations to the letters written to it by the Labour Groups, urging them to reduce electricity costs and introduce bands for consumers in the state led to the shutting down of their offices.

Members of both Unions stormed the entrance of the main office of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, where they sealed the gate and prevented staff and other visitors from entering the building.

The enforcement team of both Unions moved to the NERC and TCN offices in different locations within Bauchi metropolis to ensure they were also closed.

The peaceful protest saw members and leadership of the two unions displaying placards with various inscriptions, like “NLC/TUC Says No To Exploitation,”  “No Segregation in Power Supply,” and “No More Band A, B, or even Z”.

Addressing their members, Bauchi State NLC Chairperson, Comrade Dauda Shuaibu, said that the union’s SWC held a meeting in Abuja on April 30 and wrote to the discos to make an immediate reversal of the new tariff.

“The joint NEC of the NLC and TUC wrote the same letter to them to reverse the tariff, and we issued a letter which we are expecting them to reverse. Their failure to reverse it is the result of what we are implementing here this morning and across the nation.

“We have received reliable information that the JEDC office in Yelwa is selling units and making remittances, we are going there to stop that. We will ensure that the entire office were shut down, no operations.

“It’s a clarion call for all of us to stand resolutely. We have started this struggle, and there is no going back until the new tariff on electricity is reversed.

“ We know how we are suffering, and everyone knows that Nigerians are facing hard times. Even with the increase, the supply is not there.

“ Therefore, we are calling on the Federal Government to immediately reverse it. Otherwise, there is no going back, we will shut down the whole electricity supply system in this country,” he said.