PROTEST OVER HIKE IN ELECTRICITY TARIFF PARALYSES VEHICULAR MOVEMENT IMO
The organized labour in Imo state Monday, 8 February, 2015 staged a protest at the headquarters of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company in Owerri demanding the reversal to the old electricity tariff paid by consumers.The workers blocked the entrance gate to the office as early as seven o’clock in the morning singing solidarity songs.
Addressing the workers, the State Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress Comrade Austin Chilakpu described the forty three percent hike in electricity tariff as unacceptable to the Nigerian workers.
He advised the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company to provide prepaid meters to every consumer before contemplating any increase in tariff as the continuous use of estimated billing system would worsen the current hardship facing Nigerians.
“I want EEDC to revert to their former charges and to provide pre-paid meters to Nigerians so that you can now know that what you are consuming is what you are paying, at the same time improve their services. There are places in Owerri hare today that have not gotten light for the past three months and they continue to pay bills. It is stealing and we are saying no to that.”
Comrade Chilakpu warned that the organized labour would shut down operations at the electricity company if the authorities did not revert to the old tariff.
Authorities of the company could not be reached for comment as the offices were under lock.
Correspondent Chinazo Ilechukwu reports that the protest hindered vehicular movements within the ever busy Douglas and Royce roads in Owerri.
At the same time members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and citizens of Enugu State have gathered to stage a demonstration outside the headquarters of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) against the increase in electricity tariffs.
Protesters outside EEDC Headquarters Enugu
The increase was announced by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and it took effect from February 1st.
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