The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, in Kebbi State have taken action by shutting down the offices of Kano Electricity Distribution Company, KEDCO, and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.
Following directives from their national headquarters, the unions ensured the closure of these offices in Birnin Kebbi, with staff complying with the labour orders.
Speaking to reporters, Comrade Murtala Usman, the NLC Chairman for Kebbi State, criticised the tariff increase, citing the lack of stable electricity supply in the country.
“Organised Labour is calling for the reverse of the increase of the electricity tariff immediately by the Federal Government and NERC, distribution companies in the country.
“We are no longer comfortable with this increase of the tariff. Members of the Nigerian Union of Electricity Union are being harassed every day whenever they go out to discharge their civil duties because Nigerians thought they were the ones behind the increment of the electricity tariff.
“The worst aspect of this is the bands they introduced to us. You will see an area enjoying a good supply of electricity while others are getting a supply for 2 to 8 hours a day. Other areas will not even enjoy up to 2 hours in a day,” Usman added.
Usman criticised the privatisation of the electricity sector, arguing that it has not solved the issue of stable electricity and has left Nigerians paying for faulty transformers and damaged cables.
The picketing exercise was also attended by TUC state chairman, Comrade Atiku Alkali; NUEE chairman, Comrade Ibrahim Tusha’u; and Comrade Muhammed Usman Anache, the Secretary General of Initiative for Transparency and Justice.
Kebbi NLC, TUC protest tariff hike, shutdown KEDCO, NERC offices
