New tariff can destroy nation’s economy – Labour

The organised labour in Kebbi State says the increase in electricity tariff by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is “capable of destroying the economic prosperity of the nation”.

The state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Murtala Usman, said this when the leaders and members of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) picketed the offices of the Kaduna Electric Distribution Company (KAEDCO) and the NERC in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital, on Monday.

According to him, the increase in electricity tariff has negative dimensions multiple times.

“Manufacturers will increase prices of goods, transport fares will skyrocket, welders and other end users of electricity will be thrown out of business while many Nigerians will languish in darkness because of inability to pay the increase,” he warned.
Usman said that there was no nation in the world which did not subsidise electricity and petrol, adding that,” Nigeria is an oil producing country and is not an importer of electricity, we generate power domestically.

“God has endowed us with these resources in abundance, these are the rights of the citizens.”

He reminded the government that petrol and electricity were being generated by public funds and must be accessible to the citizenry cheaply and comfortably.

N615,000 minimum wage

On the issue of the proposed minimum wage of N615,000, Mr Usman said the NLC and TUC considered many variables before arriving at the figure in view of the hyper-inflation in the country.

“We are here to peacefully picket the offices of KAEDCO and NERC for a few hours to send a signal to the government and the authorities concerned to rescind the decision after which the organised labour would chart the next course of action,” the chairman said.

(NAN).