Organised Labour jointly led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Bauchi State on Monday shut down all offices of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) over the increase in electricity tariff across the country.
The organised Labour picketed the offices by locking up the gates and prevented the staff from gaining access into the offices thereby disrupting operations.
It was noted that customers who had come out to transact one form of business or the other were not allowed to do that as the offices were closed and barricaded by the NLC /TUC leadership.
While addressing members, the Bauchi State NLC Chairperson, Comrade Dauda Shuaibu lamented that the increase in the electricity tariff has put poor Nigerians in difficult times and untold hardship.
He said that the leadership of the organised Labour had written to NERC and others concerned about the need to reverse the increase in the tariffs but they flagrantly refused to heed the call.
Dauda Shuaibu said “What is happening here today is as a result of the refusal to revert to the old electricity tariffs. It is going on across the country and it will continue until our request is met.”
The NLC Chairperson lamented that to worsen the matter, electricity supply is not regular as most of the country has been in darkness but is made to pay the high tariffs.
He said that the organized Labour would go round all the offices in Bauchi state to ensure compliance with the directives from the National Secretariat of the NLC and TUC.
In his remarks, TUC Chairman, Comrade Sabiu Barau Ningi stressed that the division by the concerned authorities to jerk up the tariffs has negative effects on Nigerians, especially the poor people.
He supported the action of the organized Labour to picket the establishments as a way of attracting the attention of government to the suffering Nigerians are passing through.
Sabiu Barau Ningi assured that the organised Labour will not relent in the struggle to liberate Nigeria and Nigerians from bad and negative decisions.
Some customers who had visited the Ahmadu Bello Way office of the JEDC for business transactions expressed displeasure over the development calling on the concerned authorities to immediately act in order not to plunge Nigerians into more hardship.
The members of the NLC and TUC displayed placards with various inscriptions to drive home their demands.
