NLC berates FG, protests planned increase of electricity tariff is insensitive, callous, against well-being of Nigerian poor

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday berated the federal government over the plan to increase electricity tariffs in the country by 40% on July 1, essentially after the sudden increase of the pump price of petrol under the guise of removing subsidy.

The NLC demanded the federal government do not to proceed with the electricity tariff increase, arguing that the existing inflation in the country is already causing enough damage in the life of Nigerians.
The NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, in a statement protested that “the plan to increase electricity tariff by 40% come July 1st, is both insensitive and callous and reflects an organised indifference to the well-being of consumers, especially, the poor ones.”
The NLC President, accordingly, declared: “The massive increase is explained away as a response to the over 100 per cent increase in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS).
“Details reveal a movement in inflation from 16.9% to 22.41 (threatening to needle 30), and a shift in exchange rate from N441 to N750.
“We believe not even these figures are a justification for this reckless proposed tariff increase.
“The issue of capacity to pay and quality of service delivery are not only germane but superior to any rationalisation by market logic.
“The service providers in spite of sundry support have not been able to meet the threshold of 5000 megawatts.
“Coupled with this, there have been surreptitious increases without notice in violation of statutes.
“The inherent risk in the new regime of tariff is that there is no control, implying that by August, consumers will pay new rates.
“The other risk is that by the time other product or service-rendering entities come up with their new prices or rates, the ordinary person would have been compacted into dust.
“We would want to advise apostles of the Market who have called NLC all sorts of names to check their conscience.
“The rate at which they are going is highly combative and combustible. With contemplation of payment of school fees in tertiary institutions and increases in privately-owned ones in addition to other costs/tariffs on the way, life in Nigeria could truly be Hobbesian.”
NLC argued that “the market economies which the Market Fundamentalists seek to emulate, have in place socio-economic safeguards which we do not have and in light of this, the proposed tariff hike should be shelved for the collective safety of Nigerians.”