The employees of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and Distribution Companies in Imo are unable to enter their workplaces because the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress are protesting in front of the entrances.
The NLC Chairman, Comrade Uche Chigamezu Nwigwe, told The PUNCH on Monday in Owerri, Imo State, that the regulatory bodies and EEDC have caused great hardship for Imo residents and workers with the high bills they bring even though they did not use that much electricity. He mentioned that the national Secretariat has instructed them to protest at all the offices of NERC, Discos, and EEDC in the state starting from today, Monday.
Nwigwe expressed regret that since April 3, when the Federal Government raised the electricity prices by over 200 percent, the distribution companies have been taking advantage of Imo workers. He emphasized that the increase in prices is fraudulent and criminal because they are now paying more without receiving electricity.
The TUC chairman, Imo State chapter, Charles Amalu, pointed out that Imo State consumes 120 megawatts but the distribution companies are only providing between 12 and 15 megawatts. He questioned how the state can have electricity with such a shortage of megawatts.
In Imo State, only 10 percent of residents have prepaid meters while 90 percent receive estimated bills.
He disclosed that the World Bank has provided support for prepaid meters, but the regulatory bodies have chosen to make Nigerians suffer. Amalu stated that the purpose of privatization has been defeated and referred to Discos as a detriment to Nigerians.
The Labor Leaders urged the Federal Government to quickly reverse the tariff as it has made the workers and Nigerians more impoverished, and added, “We will fight this fraud to the last if the government does not reverse the electricity tariff.”
NLC and TUC had sent 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 Labor and Power, and the electricity distribution companies, DisCos, among others regarding the reversal of the tariff.
