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NLC Pickets NERC, EEDC Offices in Enugu, Ebonyi

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From Chinelo Kodilichukwu Enugu, Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki

The Nigeria Labour Congress Enugu State Chapter on Monday morning picketed the NERC office and EEDC offices in line with the directives from the National Central Working Committee of NLC.

The NLC Chairman Enugu State chapter, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo who led the exercise, said the labour was no longer comfortable with the hike in the electricity tariff and pickettng of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and disco offices would continue nationwide until further notice.

The Organized Labour in Enugu state comprising NLC and TUC stormed the EEDC office gate to register their grievances over what it described as sharp practices by EEDC and its officials as well as NERC and discos.

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Comrade Nwigbo condemned the hike in tariff by NERC which has caused untold hardship for workers and some businesses. He expressed grievance over the unsteady power supply in some quarters in the state believing that the exercise would yield positive results nationwide.

The TUC Chairman Enugu State , Comrade Ben Asogwa in his speech said that tariff increase was never solution to Nigeria ‘s problem stressing that Nigerians were currently faced with challenges of fuel subsidy removal and high cost of living. He advised NERC and EEDC to stop the exploitation and reverse to status quo.

The Members of NLC and TUC who chanted grievance songs in front of the EEDC gate explained that the hike in tariff and epileptic power supply must come to an end, as the country was faced with so many challenges.

Also, the Ebonyi state chapter of NLC has as well Shutdown NERC, EEDC Offices In the state over the Increase In Electricity Tariff.

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The Labour leaders blocked the NERC office at Nsugbe Street, Abakaliki, as early as 7:30am on Monday, chanting solidarity songs.

It was gathered that the staff of NERC were not seen as their offices were under lock and key, but the labour leaders still blocked the entrance gate of the NERC office for about an hour to ensure no one gained entrance into the premises.

They later proceeded to EEDC office at Awolowo Street, Abakaliki, where the offices were also seen to be under lock and key.

However, the labour leaders were still unperturbed as they besieged the Awolowo EEDC office for an hour before they proceeded to the second office of EEDC located at Town Planning road, opposite Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, where EEDC staff were seen at their offices.

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But the labour leaders immediately ordered them out of their offices and asked them to go home, maintaining that no work until their demands are met.

They labour leaders carried placards with inscriptions such as: The poor must breathe, the NLC/TUC demand that the new electricity tariff must be reversed, Nigerians say, no increase in electricity tariff among other inscriptions.

The NLC Chairman, prof. Ogugua Egwu, said the picketing followed a directive from the national leadership of the organized Labour.

Egwu said Nigerians are tired of the inhuman policies of some government officials against the poor masses, adding that the recent increment of electricity tariff was an act of wickedness and must be reversed.

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“We picketed NERC and EEDC offices and we made sure that the few people we saw were ordered to leave their offices. We made sure all offices were under lock and key. The managerial staff were not seen, perhaps they knew the organized Labour was coming with force. We are insisting that the poor must breathe and they must reverse the new electricity tariff which is to the tune of over 300% when workers salaries have not been increased in the past 5 years. The minimum wage is now a dead wage. The PMS pump price is alarming and they now want to increase electricity tariff. We say it’s not going to work”, the NLC Chairperson said.

On his part, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Chidi Igboji, said: “Nigerians especially workers can no longer afford the prices of goods in the market, fuel price is almost N1000 per litre and NERC wants to impose another suffering in Nigerians by increasing the fuel pump price. We cannot allow this to happen. We must subject them to reverse it or this kind of action will continue”, Mr Igboji stated.

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