Labour Begins Protest Today Over Electricity Tariff Hike, Demands Reversal

The organised labour will (commence nationwide protests today (Monday) over the electricity tariff hike and removal of subsidy from the power sector by the Federal Government.

The planned protest was confirmed by the National Treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Olatunji Ambali and the National Deputy President of the Trade Union Congress, Tommy Etim, in a separate interviews on Sunday.

They insisted on the reversal of the tariff hike to the subsidy era.

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The labour action is expected to lead to the shutdown of the Abuja headquarters of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Ministry of Power and state offices of power distribution companies.

It would be recalled that on April 3, the NERC announced the hike in the electricity tariff for Band A customers at a press briefing in Abuja.

It revealed that those affected would pay N225 per kilowatt-hour, up from the previous rate of N68/kWh which amounted to a 240 per cent increase.

The development marked the removal of subsidy from the tariff of customers in the Band A category, who constituted about 15 per cent of the total 12.82 million power consumers across the country.

Based on the tariff hike, the Federal Government said it would save N1.5tn.

The government stated that the decision took effect on April 3, 2024, adding that Band A customers would enjoy up to 20 hours of power supply daily.

Speaking with The Punch correspondent on Sunday in Abuja, the National Treasurer of the NLC, Ambali said, the union had fully mobilised its members and affiliates for the protest against the tariff increase.

“We commend the Federal Government on halting the cyber security levy; however, labour is fully mobilised for the electricity tariff hike protests across the country.”

Corroborating Ambali, the National Deputy President of the TUC, Etim, noted that the organised labour was ready for the nationwide protests at the NERC offices.

“Of course, Labour is fully mobilised for the protests which will start tomorrow (Monday.)