Home / News / Local / High tariff: NLC, TUC, civil society groups stage peaceful protest; Barricade PHDC office complex in Bayelsa
Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola

High tariff: NLC, TUC, civil society groups stage peaceful protest; Barricade PHDC office complex in Bayelsa

Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola
Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola
CHINEDU WOSU
YENAGOA

The leadership of The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC in conjunction with Civil Society Organizations and students’ bodies, on Monday in Yenagoa, locked up the office of the Port Harcourt Distribution Company, PHDC, in protest over the arbitrary increase in electricity tariffs.

The protest, which started at 7am, was in compliance with the directives of the national body of labour and caused traffic gridlock along the popular Mbaima-Yenagoa road.

The peaceful protest was joined by motorists and residents of the state capital who applauded the action taken by the labour leaders against the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.

Speaking with newsmen, chairman of the state chapter of the NLC, Comrade John Bipre, said they were protesting the arbitrary increase without consultation; the new 45% increase in electricity tariffs, especially without any significant improvement in service delivery.

Bipre said the protest which is taking place simultaneously nationwide became necessary after all efforts to make NERC shelve the idea of increase failed.

Comrade Bipre said that most consumers in the state are being over billed as they have no meters in accordance with the signed privatization Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of November 1, 2013, which stipulates that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers are to be metered.

The labour leader also point at the subsisting Court Order of 28th May, 2015, delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, which stated that there shall be no further increment until the determination of the substantive suit.

Our correspondent reports that the protest paralyzed vehicular activities in the streets of Yenagoa even as most streets in the city still experienced power outage as at the time of the protest by industrial unions and associated bodies.

About Global Patriot Staff

Check Also

Paving the way to a green economy in Nigeria By Victor I. Fagorite and Ifeoma Malo

A green economy is an economy that aims to reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcities …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *