The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the latest increase in electricity tariff by the federal government.
NLC on Wednesday through its Deputy President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, rejected the increase, describing it as insensitive and unacceptable.
Ajaero, in a chat with journalists, disclosed that stakeholders, particularly the committee working on the new electricity tariff regime, were not carried along before announcing the decision to the public.
Reports earlier had it that the federal government, through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Tuesday, disclosed a new increased tariff which would affect some consumers.
The development was revealed by the NERC, in its December 2020 minor review of the Multi-Year Tariff Order and Minimum Remittance Order made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, January 5, 2021.
According to the NERC in the report, the increase which varies, based on different consumer classes kicked off from January 1, 2021.
Reacting to the development, Ajaero noted that the price adjustment/increase is contrary to the government’s agreement with labour.
He regretted that 90 per cent of Nigerians receive less than 12-hour electricity per day.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday, noted that the Federal Government did not increase electricity tariffs, but adjusted some bands for users to pay what they are supposed to pay.
Keyamo who disclosed this during a media chat, maintained that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission did not consult him or other members of the committee working on the new electricity tariffs before announcing the increase.
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