Labour to FG: Address electricity tariff hike alongside minimum wage increase

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) say the federal government should address the recent electricity tariff hike.

On Monday, the two unions announced that they had “relaxed” their nationwide strike.

Joe Ajaero, NLC president, said the strike has been “relaxed for one week”.

Labour had embarked on the strike after negotiations with the federal government on a new minimum wage hit a brick wall.

The industrial action paralysed economic and government activities across the nation for two days.

In a communiqué issued after a joint national executive council (NEC) meeting of the unions, organised labour said the demand for the reversal of the electricity tariff hike back to N66/kwh was part of the discussion.

The unions said they deliberated on the demand for the stoppage of the “apartheid classification of electricity consumers into Bands”.

“The NEC-in-session is deeply disappointed by the government’s silence and lack of concrete action regarding the reversal of the electricity tariff hike and the abolition of the apartheid classification of electricity consumers into Bands,” the communiqué reads.

“The NEC reaffirms that these issues are critical to alleviating the financial burden on Nigerian workers and the general populace.

“The electricity tariff hike and discriminatory Band classification remain unacceptable and must be addressed alongside the wage increase.”

The unions commended Nigerian workers and the public for their “unwavering support and solidarity in this critical struggle for improved living and working conditions”.

They reiterated their commitment to pursuing all necessary actions to protect the rights and welfare of all Nigerian people and workers.