Labour shuts DisCos in Abeokuta, Jos, Ebonyi, Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi over tariff hike

The gate of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC Nepa Road Isabo Abeokuta, locked by the leadership of the NLC and TUC in Ogin State on Monday. Photo: Abiodun Taiwo

Reacting to the hike in electricity tariff, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, shut down activities at the offices of electricity distribution companies, DisCos, in Plateau, Ebonyi, Kano and Kaduna states on Monday.

The offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, were also affected in some states.

The development followed non-compliance with letters written to electricity operators and regulators to reduce electricity costs.

In Bauchi …
In Bauchi State, the leadership and members of the two unions converged at the entrance of the main office of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, JEDCo. They sealed the gate and prevented staff and visitors from entering the building.

The NLC and TUC enforcement moved to the NERC and TCN offices in different locations within Bauchi metropolis to ensure they were also closed.

During the peaceful protest, members of the two unions were seen 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.

Kaduna DisCo
In Kaduna State, the NLC and TUC picketed the headquarters of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company.

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The Labour members led by Kaduna NLC and TUC chairmen, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman and Comrade Alhassan Danfulani, respectively, called for immediate reversal of the tariff.

They kicked against “segregation” by the electricity sector through class differentiation in supply.

The unionists asked the Federal Government to reverse the privatisation of the distribution sub-sector of the electricity industry.

Ebonyi
For Ebonyi, labour leaders shut the offices of NERC and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC.

In Kano …
Also, this morning, NLC and TUC in Kano State shut the NERC and Kano Electricity Distribution Company, KEDCO, over the tariff hike.

The labour union which joined its counterparts across the country to protest over 300 per cent increments in electricity tariffs by NERC, stormed the headquarters of NERC and KEDCO and shut down the gates.

The Vice Chairman of the NLC in Kano, Comrade Awwalu Yakasai, who led the labour unions in the state to picket the companies, said the action became necessary to demand the reversal of the tariff increments.

Furthermore, according to him, Nigerians are paying more than they consume for electricity supply. He wondered why the federal government should increase the tariff when the supply has not improved.

“We are not doing this for ourselves but for Nigerians because Nigerians are crying and not happy over the increment when there is even no stable power supply.

“The increment was wrong. We demand reverse of the increase otherwise we will take action.

“The first action is the picketing of the NERC and KEDCO, but the next action will be worse than this,” Yakasai said.

Also, his counterpart, the TUC Chairman in Kano, Comrade Mubarak Yerima said the decision to picket the companies was to press home their demand for the reversal of the tariff increments.

“We have picketed the headquarters of NERC and Discos. We are hoping for good feedback from our national body.

“Once they give us directives that negotiation has started, we will halt the decision. But if not we will continue and move to the next stage,” Yerima stated.

Labour’s clash with DisCos over tariff hike became front-page news when, on April 3, the Federal Government approved an upward review from N68/KwH to N225.

Jos
Also in Plateau State, NLC and TUC led their members and other affiliate unions to picket the headquarters of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, JEDC along the Ahmadu Bello Way, Murtala Mohammed Way, in Jos.

Furthermore, the NERC office in the Rayfield area of the city was not spared.

The Labour Unions assembled at the entrances of the offices very early today. They blocked the entrances, displaying tree branches while chanting solidarity songs.

The workers were prevented from accessing their offices as the spokesman of the JEDC, Friday Adakole lamented that the picketing would cost the company millions of naira.

The state Chairman of the NLC, Eugene Mangji, told Vanguard: “The directive to shut down these places came from our National Secretariat.

“The masses are suffering. We have been here since morning and will continue to be here for the day.

“The unions picketed the places as early as possible so when their staff came, they could not have access.

“We are taking directives from our national headquarters. We mobilised members to monitor the offices, and the NERC at Rayfield. And members are going around to check compliance.

“The right thing has to be done.”

At the time of this report, the unionists were yet to vacate the offices.

Meanwhile, stranded workers, who gathered round the unionists dispersed for other businesses.

Below is a picture of the unionists protesting tariff hike by DisCos at the entrance of the Electricity House at Ahmadu Bello Way, Jos