Electricity hike: Labour cautions against plunging citizens into further hardship

Electricity hike: Labour cautions against plunging citizens into further hardship

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had warned the Federal Government against the implementation of the proposed 300 per cent hike in electricity tariff.

NLC cautioned that plunging Nigerians into more hardship amidst the current hunger and hike in food prices will be disastrous.

Labour posited that additional hike in electricity tariff despite the near-zero electricity supply at this critical time will not be a good decision.

The union noted that with Nigerians trying to survive as a result of the current economic realities requires a good government to think about addressing the immediate needs rather than embarking on an over 300 per cent hike in electricity tariff.

The NLC acting Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Ismail Bello, reiterated the earlier call by Labour against privatisation of the sector.

According to him, “What is happening now is reconfirmation of what we told the general public and federal government during the privatisation period that privatisation was not the solution to the problem in the sector.

“During the clamour for the privatisation, we told the government the ill of privatisation but they went ahead against the wish of labour. We then warned the government that privatisation without good services will have effects on the populace,” Bello said.

He called on the government to have a rethink on the hike, saying its implementation will further add burden on the people that have been pushed to the walls.

The labour leader emphasised that the increment will further push more Nigerians into poverty.

“What Nigerians need most at this period is for the government to address the current economic realities rather than pushing them into more hardship with further hike in electricity tariff,” he said.