Labour Movement Rejects Hike In Prices Of Commodities, Seeks Reversal Of Power Sector Privatization

A labour and socialist movement, the People’s Alternative Political Movement (TPAP-M), has sought the immediate reversal of the power sector privatisation, while it rejected in its entirety, the hike in the price of gas and the impending hikes in the price of fuel and electricity tariff.

The group also demanded the reversal of the power sector privatization done by the previous administration.

TPAP-M, a coalition of individuals and organisations committed to the emergence and building of a Mass Workers’ Party, and the Socialist Transformation of Nigeria, stated this in a press conference organised at Abope Chamber, Liberty Stadium Road, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The NGO made the statement in a press conference, which was addressed by the state Chairman, Ibrahim Mohammed and Comrade Rasheedat Adesina , on Wednesday.
The group also disclosed that it would hold the Occupy Nigeria Phase 11 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the last one and demand the reversal of the current obnoxious policies of the government.
“We reject in its totality the hike in the price of Gas, and the impending hikes in the price of fuel and electricity tariff.”

“We insist that Nigerians cannot and must not be punished for the failures and incompetence of the ruling class and this regime in ensuring access to affordable energy and adequate security and protection.

”We demand that past and present managements of the NNPC and the four moribund refineries should be indicted, prosecuted and brought to book for their crass incompetence that has resulted into the failure since 2012, at least, to turn around the fortunes of the refineries and make them work at optimum capacity, thus contributing significantly to Nigeria’s inability to acquire adequate domestic refining capacity.”

“We demand the complete reversal of the power sector privatisation, and the renationalisation of the power sector, bringing it under the control and management of key stakeholders, including workers, and electricity consumers.

“We reject the continued practice of estimated billing, whereby as of January 2022, only 41 per cent of electricity consumers supplied by the national grid are metered.

“As The estimated billing system has been shown to be arbitrary, exploitative of citizens who are being ripped off, and fraught with corruption and fraudulent practices; we therefore demand a programme and investment plan that will ensuring the metering of all electricity consumers within the next 12 months.”

“Heads must roll for failure to achieve past targets, while people must be held accountable for failure to meet this new target.

“We insist that any government that is unable to build public refineries and enable adequate domestic refining capacity for refined petroleum products should resign immediately.

“In the ten years since the January Uprising (Occupy Nigeria) of 2012, the four public refineries have remained moribund, while no new public refineries have been built.”