Sule Aliyu, Bauchi
The Organised Labour led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Bauchi State, Monday, May,13 carried out protest, picketing offices over the electricity tariff hike and removal of subsidy from the power sector by the Federal Government.
The Bauçhi state Organised Labour during today’s protest 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.
Krestnews reports 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.
“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”, Dauda said ⁴
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.
Meanwhile the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED), has said it would soon restore power supply to Bauchi and Gombe following progress recorded in the repair work of four vandalised transmission towers.
This was contained in a statement signed Sunday by Dr Friday Adakole-Elijah, Head, Corporate Communications made available to journalists in Bauchi
According to the statement, JED’s Managing Director, Abdu Bello-Mohammed, represented by the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Alhaji Mamanlafia Umar, said the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) are working assiduously towards fixing the problems.
He stated this during an inspection visit to the ongoing reconstruction of vandalised 330kV power line towers
The managing director said that normal power supply would soon be restored to Bauchi and Gombe.
“I want to sincerely thank you on behalf of the MD/CEO of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc for the speed you have exhibited so far.
“I urged you to work towards meeting the deadline of 27th May 2024, for the completion of the repairs and restoration of normal supply to the good people of Bauchi and Gombe, as committed to,” he said.
It be recalled that about three weeks ago, four 330kV towers were vandalised, thereby putting the entire Gombe and parts of Bauchi in darkness.