Electricity tariff hike: Organised labour pickets EEDC, NERC offices in Ebonyi

The National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) headquarters in Abakaliki, the state capital, were picketed by organised labour on Monday in Ebonyi State.

Workers protested the increase in electricity rates alongside their counterparts across the nation.

They were led by Chidi Igboji, the chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Ogugua Egwu, the chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state.

They went to the EEDC headquarters on Awolowo Street, the NERC office on Nsugbe Street, and the Town Planning Road buildings, which are next to the Abakaliki Correctional Centre.

The workers protested the increase in electricity rates by chanting songs while holding placards.

 Mr Ọgụgụa Egwu, the chairman of the NLC, called the hike a foolish and evil policy. 

“We are here to tell the world that their heartlessness, recklessness and wickedness against ordinary Nigerians must be stopped.

“We are here to say that the recent tariff increase for Band A from 65 naira to over N225 representing a 340 percent increase, must be reversed.

“If it is not reversed by the government that has decided to suffer us, we must continue to picket all EEDC and NERC offices till the hike is reversed,” he said.

The rise, according to TUC Chairman Chidi Igboji, will cause the impoverished masses to continue to live in poverty.

“This increase is evil because it is meant to ensure that the poor masses will continue to be poor and we the organised labour in Ebonyi State, are saying no to this increase. What we are saying is that EEDC and NERC should let the poor breathe,” he said.

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