The Adamawa chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, shut down the regional offices of the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) and the office of the Electricity Regulatory Commission of Nigeria (ERCN).
Emmanuel Fashe, the State NLC Chairman, who addressed members of the union at the premises of the picketed offices in Yola, said the action was to protest an exorbitant electricity tariff.
He said the tariff on Band A has reached 300%, saying the indiscriminate charges were beyond the ability and capability of Nigerians.
“Our action to picket these offices was sequel to the directive from our headquarters and it is a nationwide action,” he said.
Fashe explained that categorising power supply into different bands was equal to creating division among Nigerians, adding that it was an attempt to eliminate the middle class.
“The tariff hike was from ₦65 to ₦223, which is far above reasonable charges.
“The only services that were yet to be taxed by the federal government are the oxygen we breath and the rainfall on our farms,” he stated.
The chairman used the occasion to caution the federal government against unpopular policies that were capable of inflicting hardship on the citizens.
Also, Dauda Adamu, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the state, urged the government to sustain the subsidy on the cost of social services for affordability of Nigerians. He attributed the rising cost of living in Nigeria to the removal of fuel subsidies, insecurity and other unpopular government policies.
“We advise the government to revert back to the initial cost of the power supply as Nigerians will not be paying what they did not consume,” he noted.
According to him, in their next protest, all Nigerians will be mobilised to partake in the protest, saying: “we ate tired of this life of servitude.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that both offices were under lock and key and the staff on duty were asked to leave unconditionally.