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Workers stranded as labour pickets Jos DisCo, NERC
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission offices located at the Gold and Base axis in Jos were also picketed by the union members, leaving their workers stranded.
The State Chairman of the NLC, Eugene Mangji, who led the union members, told The PUNCH in Jos that the action was in compliance with the directive of their national secretariat aimed at forcing the authorities to reverse the recent hike in the country’s electricity tariff.
“We have shot down the NERC office at Gold and Base. Right now, we are the JED headquarters at the Ahmadu Bello Way. We will continue until the right thing is done,” the NLC chairman stated.
Punch reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart had earlier given the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, till May 12 to withdraw the recent hike in electricity tariff or face unprecedented industrial action.
The ultimatum was issued in a joint letter to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, dated May 3, 2024, and copied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, the Ministers of Labour and Power, and the electricity distribution companies, DisCos, among others, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, President of NLC and its TUC’s counterpart.
The letter read: “This is to refer you to our May Day address where we expressed grave concerns regarding the recent announcement of an astronomical hike in electricity tariff across the nation from N65/kWh to N225/Kwh by your commission.
‘’We believe that this decision is not just morally reprehensible considering the difficulties Nigerians are faced with currently, but it blatantly disregards fundamental principles and statutory obligations.
‘’It is a slap in the face of justice and fairness, and we will not stand idly by as the masses and workers are subjected to such unacceptable exploitation.
