Privatization in power sector, colossal failure -Labour
—Pickets NERC, TCN headquarters
—Demands complete reversal
THE Organized Labour on Monday stormed the headquarters of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, protesting over hike in electricity tariff.
The organized labour described the privatization in the power sector as a ‘colossal failure ‘ and demanded a complete reversal of the exercise and recovery of all public electricity assets sold.
The picketing of the NERC, TCN and the Ministry of Power was carried out by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC.
Recall that NERC had recently announced hike in electricity tariff across the nation from N65/kwh to N225/Kwh which attracted the wrath of the organized labour and the call for the reversal of the increment.
The protesting workers carried placards with inscriptions such as,’We are not generator Republic,’ IMF, World Bank, leave Nigeria Power Sector alone, “Let the Poor breathe. Give us affordable and constant light, among others.
Addressing journalists, the President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said that the privatisation of the power sector was a ‘colossal failure’.
According to him, Organised Labour in Nigeria demands the complete reversal of the power sector privatisation and the recovery of all public electricity assest.
“That is which are sold cheap to largely inexperienced, technically deficient and financially challenged private investors.
“As workers are hit hardest by the increase in electricity tariff. Unlike business people, wage earning workers cannot adjust their income when the cost of utilities are increased.
“The stagnancy in wage amidst increases in electricity and refined petroleum products push workers over and beyond the limits of sanity and survival.
“Small and medium scale businesses which accommodates millions of workers in the informal economy is several affected by the increases in energy cost.
“This has led to shutdown of business thus ballooning Nigeria unemployment market,” he said.
Ajaero said that Nigeria workers have rejected the recent increase in electricity tariff and the associated upgrading and downgrading of customers from one Band to another.
He further called on government to respect the September 2021agreement with Labour that reinforced in 2023 agreement that government must halt further increase in the tariff of public utilities until certain conditions are met.
The NLC President said that the agreement includes the review of the privatisation exercise, de- dollarization of gas supply to electricity generation, distribution of pre paid meters to all electricity consumers in Nigeria, among others.
He said before the increase in electricity tariff, NERC ought to have called for a stakeholders meeting for proper consultation.
Reacting, to the action of the organized labour, Sanusi Garba, Chairman/ CEO of NERC, commended Labour for its peaceful demonstration in respect of issues affecting the power sector.
He said that the commission has taken input from their demands as relates to the affordability of the tariff it issued, adding, “we have also listened to you and we have listened to the concerns of Nigerians.
“I want to assure you that we will make adequate representation on the policy side on the issue of affordability of tariffs.
“We also took note on your call for the diversification of energy sources and I will like to say that the Zungeru 700 mega watt power plant is already on.”
At the Ministry of Power office, the Minister was not in the office, as he was said to have left to attend the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
