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Tag: Labour unions

  • Picketing: DisCos exploiting electricity users in Nigeria – labour unions lament

    Picketing: DisCos exploiting electricity users in Nigeria – labour unions lament

    The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), have accused Distribution Companies (DisCOs) of exploiting electricity users in Nigeria with their tariffs and high bills.

    The labour unions stated this in Enugu on Monday during a protest at the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) office over the Band A tariff hike.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that labour leaders had over the weekend directed its members nationwide to picket Nigeria Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) and Distribution Companies in their states until they reverse Band A tariff.

    Union members, who protested and chatted solidarity songs at the EEDC office carried placards that read, “NERC and EEDC, Stop Electricity Tariff now”, “NERC Stop Banding electricity for Nigerians” and say “No to Hike in Electricity Tariff”.

    Speaking during the protest, the State Chairman, TUC, Comrade Ben Asogwa, noted that many Nigerians were forced to pay for what they did not use through estimated bills by DISCOs.

    Asogwa said that tariff increase was never solution to Nigeria ‘s problem stressing that Nigerians were currently faced with challenges of fuel subsidy removal and high cost of living.

    He advised NERC and Enugu EEDC to stop the exploitation and reverse to status quo.

    “In a country where there is a price regulations and government agency will increase tariff to over 240 per cent.We have not seen such even when things add money, it is done geometrically.

    “Tariff increase is not a benefit to Nigerians and we want NERC and EEDC to reverse to status quo.

    “EEDC says it invested money into the system but are not making profit. Anybody that is not making profit in business, should leave and let other organisation come,” he advised.

    On his part, the State Chairman NLC, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, said the labour was no longer comfortable with the hike in electricity tariff.

    According to him, picketing of NERC and DisCo offices will continue nationwide until further notice.

    He said, “We have come to register our grievances and we are coming back tomorrow; this place is going to be under lock and key until you remove all the bands.

    Read Also: Fed govt to Labour unions: we will implement all agreements

    “Nigerians are facing a lot of challenges already and now electricity tariff has been hiked to an unbearable price of N222 per unit.

    “We are not going to tolerate bands in Nigeria or allow it in our country. Whether it is bands A or B, C or Z, we will not tolerate it.

    “They said they are not working today because of Monday’s sit-at-home but by tomorrow, they will not work here until they remove the bands,” Nwigbo said.

    NAN reports that the no official of the EEDC received the protesters as the head office on Okpara Avenue was under lock and key apparently because of the Monday Sit at Home in the state.

    (NAN)

  • ‘Labour unions can’t function without democracy’

    The Nigeria Textile Union Secretary General, Comrade Issa Aremu, has described labour as the greatest beneficiary of democracy as it cannot operate without it.

    Speaking during an interactive session with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on the activities of the apex bank to improve the economy, Aremu said labour union deserved to celebrate the feat of 20 years of uninterrupted democracy, given that the country experienced 30 years of military regime under which labour unions suffered.

    According to him, Labour suffered a lot under military regimes of General Ibrahim Babangida and the late General Sani Abacha.

    “Under IBB, the NLC was dissolved in 1988 and in 1994, Abacha dissolved us again. Labour cannot function very well without democracy. We are a democratic organisation.

    “This is why I think we should all celebrate as Labour leaders. We should not leave this to politicians alone. We cannot operate without democracy,” he added.

    Aremu, who contested as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2019 election in Kwara State, said the labour union as a democratic body is teaching democracy, urging unionists to be abreast with the knowledge of politics and the economy.

    “A good unionist must know about inflation, interest rates, capacity utilisation and employment rates. You must know about the Monetary Policy Rates (MPR). All these issues affect us in the world of work,” he said.

    Aremu described the CBN’s creative intervention in the economy as highly commendable.

    He said: “CBN is working today because we have a competent hand. Mr Emefiele is a man of vision, but he is also passionate about Nigeria, he is patriotic; we need to replicate that kind of public officer.

    “Also, in terms of engagement, I haven’t seen the CBN governor engaging in any sort of controversy, he doesn’t go outside his mandate. What happens is robust engagement, such that both the executive and the legislature agreed that he should go for another term. And the facts are all verifiable.

    “They all talked about jobs that have been created. So, you need similar kinds of personnel in the next cabinet of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    He, however, noted that for the economy to improve on its current growth levels, all hands must be on deck. “CBN is doing its own side of the bargain, but the other fiscal authorities must also complement the effort of the CBN.

    “For example, the CBN can’t do much to stop smuggling; so you have improvement in rice production, but by the time the farmers reach the market, it has been overwhelmed by smuggled rice.

    “The same thing with textiles, so Customs must also sit up. Energy is also important. We need uninterrupted power supply. So, we need the same activism that we are witnessing at the apex bank, at Customs, and at the Ministry of Power. The Ministry of Trade and investment must sit up also. Ministry of Labour must sit up as well because they are the ones to find out whether the funds are made available to investors in this sector are actually used for production and employment is being created,” he said.

    He added that the organised labour is committed to partnering CBN to ensure that all these creative initiatives, in terms of development financing, are sustainable.

  • Labour unions hail Buhari for not privatising health

    The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliate, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for not privatising the health sector. They condemned privatisation of the sector, saying it would lead to masses’ exploitation.

    The leaderships of the two Unions, Ayuba Wabba and Biobelemoye Josiah, who expressed their concern at the recent 45th session of the MHWUN’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, urged health workers to unite for a common interest to resist the idea, described as anti-masses.

    According to Wabba, anyone who says health care privatisation will better the sector is telling lies. ”Anybody that tells me that privatising the health care will make it better, it is false. What has become of the privitisation of the power sector? We have seen it as an exploitation. Nigerians have been crying to be given meters, but there is none. Not because meters cannot be provided, but they realised that once they provide meters, exploitation will end, estimated billing will end and citizens will drive the process; that is why up till now they have refused, despite the fact that it is a major component of the agreement of privisation,” Wabba said.

    Josiah on his part, commended President Buhari, for refusing to privatise the healthcare system, even as he warned against fresh strike action. He called on the President to always listen to the other side of every story given to him by his aides. ”The truth of the matter is that, in the health sector, there has been deprivation. Seventy per cent of the healthcare professionals, their voices are not being heard. Their voices have been dominated,” he said.

    The MHWUN President also hinted an impending strike action if the government continued to delay in addressing the demands of health workers, especially  Skipping arears. It, therefore, urged its members to prepare for an indefinite strike action to push home their demands.

    He called on Nigerians to prepare their minds and bear with the workers when the time comes for the strike.

    Speaking on why his group will resume the strike, he said the continous inability of the government to meet the demands of the health workers, especially the payment of areas skipping, will no longer be tolerated.

    “Comrades, we have to prepare ourselves. We will no longer take that deceitful  story of there is no money.  At the appropriate time, we will come to you so that we will carry out destiny in our hands.

    “We call on Nigerians to have that understanding with us when the time comes because if the same ministry can appropriate to pay illegal items to the medical doctors such as skipping arears.

    “Another exposure of insincerity was that after paying the medical doctors skipping arears, which they were not supposed to benefit, they now went into the Federal Executive Council with a so-called white paper that skipping has been abrogated. Can FEC quash the ruling of any court?

    “If we believe in the rule of law, they just have to pay us that money because they have paid those who are not entitled to it.

    “Even when the Income and Wages Commission advised that these people are not entitled to this money, don’t pay them, the same government, the same ministry of health that said there is no money still went ahead to pay them.

    “Unless we agree to take our destiny in our hands, nobody in that ministry will be human enough to give us what is due to us,” he said.

    Reacting to the fight against corruption by President Buhari-led administraion, Josiah said: “It is our view that corruption cannot be fought when injustice cannot be redressed.

    He said: “Let me therefore, use this opportunity to call on the government to redesign the anti-corruption war to assume a holistic and down-to-the-grassroot approach, as well as support and protect those heeding the call to support and advance the fight.”

    Speaking on his achievements within the past two years, he said: “Recall that in 2017, we performed the ground breaking ceremony of our Specialist Hospital project. I am happy to report to you that work has steadily progressed at the sight.

    “We shall endeavour to make out time for an inspection visit to the sight in the course of our crowded programme. Our efforts at remodeling the fourth floor to suit the purpose it was meant to serve has reached 99 per cent completion with the delivery of a 550KVA plant that is expected to provide an uninterrupted power supply to the facility. You would agree with me that power supply is central to the success of any hospital facility.”

    He, however, condemned the killing of health workers in the northeast by the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents, describing it as barbaric and satanic.

  • Presidency steps up moves to end NLC strike

    The Presidency yesterday stepped up efforts to convince labour unions in the country to call off their strike following the earlier meeting at which the government accepted their demand to reconvene the tripartite meeting on the proposed new national minimum wage.

    A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, noted that the meeting between the labour leadership and the representatives of the employers of labour is now scheduled to reconvene on Thursday, October 4.

    He said: “By its tripartite nature, the committee is made up of persons from the public sector (federal and state governments) and the private sector made up of the largest private employer group and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA).

    “Other members include the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES).

    “Invitation letters have since been dispatched to all the participants.

    “At the moment, the Presidency understands that the combined leadership of the unions, having met and deliberated on the position of the government, have now set in motion a process of consultations with their constituent members to determine their next line of action.” he said

    He said that the Presidency wished to assure that the federal government is taking every step necessary to get the unions to call off the strike.

  • Labour unions greatest problem of university administration – Mimiko

    Labour unions greatest problem of university administration – Mimiko

    The Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) has initiated moves to rescue higher education in Nigeria. It flagged off the effort with a symposium with the theme, “Getting Our Universities Back: Conversation on Higher Education in Nigeria” at the University of Ibadan during the week.

    The symposium, which brought together several stakeholders in the higher education sector, dissected the challenges facing the sub-sector and came up with recommendations. In his keynote address, the immediate past Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Ondo State, Prof. Olufemi Mimiko, insisted that until labour unions are restrained, poor governance will continue to hold down Nigerian universities.

    The erudite scholar said activities of the unions and pressure groups such as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and other staff unions as well as student unions, are militating against the smooth administration of higher institutions across the country. He added that the unions have become a clog in the wheel of progress of the university system with the way they force decisions down the throats of university authorities.

    “To achieve effective university governance, there is need to rein in the unions or our universities won’t be able to compete globally. Unions want to be consulted in everything including management of funds and even appointments. To me, it constitutes what can be described as a handshake above the elbow when unions, during protests, lock up the gates of the institutions, disrupt movement, cut off water and electricity.

    “Unions should be organised on how to add value, not just to create confrontations. I am not saying we don’t need the unions but there is need for greater responsibility in the way and manner unions run. We must rein in the unions when they commit infractions. For example, I do not support collective bargaining,” he insisted.

    Earlier, the Chairman, Bi-Courtney Limited, Dr. Wale Babalakin, accused stakeholders in higher education in Nigeria of lack of sincerity in reviving the sub-sector. Babalakin, who is the Pro-Chancellor, University of Lagos, said there is no single well-funded university in Nigeria, including those privately owned.

    The Executive Vice Chairman, ISGPP, Dr. Tunji Olaopa, bemoaned what he described as the “politicisation” of the university system where several universities are established without proper funding. He added that many members of the Governing Council of the universities are politicians or their supporters who see their appointment as political reward.

     

     

     

  • FG won’t succumb to threats, Ngige tells labour unions

    FG won’t succumb to threats, Ngige tells labour unions

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige on Wednesday declared that the Federal Government will not succumb to threats from labour unions in the country.

    The labour unions, he said, cannot achieve anything through threats except dialogue.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after FEC meeting.

    He said “Government is on the issue of industrial relations as possible as we can, especially with an economy that is in technical recession like ours.

    “We have cooperation from most of the unions: the NLC and the TUC. We have maximum cooperation from them.

    “On the minimum wage issue, we have a technical committee that is working and members of the two congresses are members of that committee. We are almost finishing our work and we are handing over next week.

    “Everybody knows that prices have gone up and in some states, workers are not getting salaries. They are unable to pay the minimum wage. These are the things we have taken into account in our discussion.

    “We also have warnings from doctors’ union and ASUU as well as NASU. We are discussing with them but we want to appeal to all of them that there is nothing like warning strike.

    “There is nothing you cannot get by negotiation and you cannot get certain things by threats. Warning strikes as far as government is concerned are threats. I have made it clear to them.” he said

    Government and labour laws, he said, make provision for social dialogue and collective bargaining agreements.

    “It also makes provision for the review of the agreements. Nigerian unions should imbibe the culture of social dialogue. They can go on strike after giving the mandatory notices but the same law says in Section 43 that if you withdraw your services, your union is supposed to pay you. Your employer will not pay. That is how the issue of no work, no pay came up.

    “It is in the country’s labour. For the period you withdraw your services, it will not count for you in your pensionable times. It is taken as broken service. The unions have the responsibility to lecture their members on this.

    “If your employer has not complied with an agreement, you take him back to negotiation table or he can ask you for a re-negotiation.

    “Everything is about money and funding. Most of those agreements are not backed by appropriation. Government at times because of threats and pressures from the unions succumb to certain conditions that are not implementable.

    “We have a lot of them and that is why the university unions will now have to go back for renegotiation for the 2009 agreement they had with the Federal Government.

    “We want them to give government a chance. Government has a human face; we are human,” he stated

     

  • Fed Govt set to partner labour unions

    Fed Govt set to partner labour unions

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal has assured the leadership of Labour Unions that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is prepared to partner them to achieve peace and security across the West African Sub-region, and prosperity for all.

    He spoke yesterday when a delegation of the Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA), led by the President, Comrade Mademba Sock, visited him in his office yesterday.

    A statement by the Director of Press in the office, Bolaji Adebiyi, hailed the decision of OTUWA to relocate its headquarters to Abuja. He observed that the proximity of the union to the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) will enhance the anticipated cooperation with the regional body, which will impact positively on the activities of OTUWA.

    He assured the delegation of the Federal Government’s help in settling down in Abuja and urged the Executive Secretary, who is a Nigerian, to direct any request through appropriate government channels.

    Sock said the union, after many years of inactivity, is now eager to contribute to the development and integration of the West African sub-region to justify the dream and vision of the founding fathers of ECOWAS.

    He emphasised that the union will partner governments in West Africa to lead workers to transform the sub-region and accelerate the socio-cultural, economic and political integration of its people.

    Sock hinted that the union will, between May 11 and 13, hold a Strategic Planning Workshop in Abuja to draw up a five-year plan of activities for OTUWA.

    The workshop, he said, is supported by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and participants are drawn from Labour Organisations in the sub-region, across Africa and major global unions.

    He solicited the Federal Government’s support for its activities, including the allocation of land for its permanent site/training institute.

     

     

  • FG set to partner labour unions

    FG set to partner labour unions

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal, on Tuesday assured the leadership of Labour Unions that the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari is prepared to partner with the unions to achieve peace and security across the West African Sub-region and prosperity for all the citizens.

    He stated this in his office while receiving the President of the Organization of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA), Comrade Mademba Sock and his delegation.

    The SGF, in a statement by the Director (Press), Office of the SGF, Bolaji Adebiyi, commended the decision of OTUWA to relocate its headquarters to Abuja in Nigeria and observed that the proximity of the Union to the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) will enhance the anticipated and much desired cooperation with the regional body, which will impact positively on the activities of OTUWA.

    He also assured the delegation of the assistance of the Federal Government in settling down in Abuja, and urged the Executive Secretary, who is a Nigerian, to direct any request of the union through appropriate government channels.

    The President of the Union, in his remarks, said the Union, after many years of inactivity is now eager to contribute to the development and integration of the West African Sub-region so as to justify the dream and vision of the founding fathers of ECOWAS.

    He emphasized that the Union will partner with governments in West Africa to lead workers to transform the entire Sub-region and accelerate the socio-cultural, economic and political integration of the people of the Sub-region.

    To achieve this, Comrade Sock informed the SGF that the Union will hold from May 11 – 13, 2016, a Strategic Planning Workshop in Abuja to draw up a 5-Year Plan of Activities for OTUWA.

    The Workshop, according to him, is supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and participants are drawn from Labour Organizations in the Sub-region, across Africa and major global unions.

    The President of OTUWA seized the opportunity of the visit to solicit for the support of the Federal Government for its activities including the allocation of land for its permanent site/training institute.

     

  • Labour pickets electricity firms as govt urges acceptance of tariff hike

    Labour pickets electricity firms as govt urges acceptance of tariff hike

    •Power firms: action counter-productive

    Labour unions and their allies yesterday shut down electricity distribution (Discos) and generation companies (Gencos) offices nationwide over  the 45 per cent hike in the electricity tariff by Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    In most of the state capitals, where the protests led by leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC)  were held, it resulted in heavy gridlocks  and leading to businesses and offices being closed down.

    Abuja: NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba led workers to the National Assembly,  where  he got the backing of Senate President Bukola Saraki on the need for a reversal of the tariff.

    At the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, where armed security men were kept on guard to prevent labour accessing the premises, Wabba said exploitation of the Nigerians must not be allowed to stand.

    He said: “Any increase in this hard economic situation should not be allowed to stand. The exploiters should not be allowed to exploit us because this is our common wealth that has been sold to them. It is very clear that the management of the power sector cannot be left in the hands of those people, who cannot deliver…

    “We are also sending warning to Discos and Geckos because we know that they are in alliance with the NERC and that alliance should not be allowed to stand. Any alliance that is against Nigerian people should not be allowed to stand…

    “Therefore, we should not allow a situation where few will collaborate, including the Minister of Power. We are really disappointed because all the letters we have written to him, he has not even responded.”

    President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Boboli Agama, wondered whether the National Assembly was consulted before the increase in tariff was announced.

    He said: “We are here to express our bitterness. For an organisation that is working for the bitterness of this country to wake up and say it has increased tariff is not acceptable. We are happy that when we engaged them last night, they confessed that they never consulted us and we wondered whether they have consulted the leadership of the National Assembly before the tariff was increased.”

    In Lagos State, the protesters marched from Ikeja under-bridge to Ikeja Disco office in Alausa. This resulted in a heavy traffic along Awolowo Way/ Alausa road in the state capital.

    Speaking during the protest, the NLC Vice President, Comrade Amaechi Asugwuni, who represented the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the hike in tariff was inhuman and unjustified.

    He decried the refusal of NERC to follow the laid down law, which stipulated that the Discos should give out prepaid meters to every electricity consumer within 18 months of their start of operations.

    He said workers were ready to shut down the economy, if the Federal government refused to reverse the hike.

    “Rather than see reason with Nigerians, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing has been advancing spurious argument in justification,” he said.

    Deputy General Secretary, Nigeria Textile, Comrade Ismail Bello said the tariff increase was an anti-people’s policy, adding that labour was ready to fight it.

    He called on the removal of Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola for violating the court order, which stopped the hike in tariff until the case is concluded.

    “Nigeria cannot be an animal kingdom, where there is no order. For Fashola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), to disobey court order, which had ordered a halt to this increase in tariff, means he is playing with jail and is not fit to be a minister. He should be removed with immediate effect for making mockery of a court judgment.

    “He should obey court order or else he should be removed,” he said.

    The Chief Finance Officer, Ikeja DISCO, Mr. Aigbe Olotu, said it was wrong for labour to picket the Discos because they were not responsible for the increment.

    Kwara State: Scores of members of the NLC and TUC, led by their leaders, also sealed off the premises of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEC) in Ilorin, the state capital.

    The placards-carrying protesters also called for the resignation of the Minister Power, Works and Housing for not following due process before the increase.

    Some of the inscriptions on the gate of IBEC in the ever-busy Challenge area of Ilorin read: ‘Stop your crazy bills’, ‘We cannot pay more for sick light’, ‘Provide prepaid meters and give us 24-hour uninterrupted light,’ and others.

    Some of workers of the company, who arrived early, could not gain entrance. They were seen in groups discussing their plight.

    At about 8am, a vehicle conveying some security operatives arrived at the scene and they urged the protesters not to allow the event to be hijacked by hoodlums.

    Speaking with reporters, the state NLC Chairman, Yekinni Agunbiade, said due process was not followed before the tariff hike.

    Oyo State: Hundreds of members of the NLC, TUC and civil society organisations stormed the streets of Ibadan in protest against the 45 per cent increase in the tariff.

    The three major offices of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), including the Ring road Ibadan Headquarters, were picketed by the protesters in line with the directive of the NLC leadership.

    The protest started as early as 8am from Monatan to Dugbe and ended at the Headquarters of the IBEDC on the Rind road, Ibadan.

    The IBEDC workers could not wait to witness the picketing as they fled their offices.

    The protesters included market men and women, students, artisans and members of transport unions.

    There was traffic as the protesters moved through the major roads with placards condemning the hike in tariff.

    In Kaduna State, NLC and TUC members, as early as 7am, stormed the zonal headquarters of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and locked the gate.

    The labour union members, who chanted solidarity songs in between speeches, vowed to continue the protest until the Federal Government reverses the increment.

    Former Deputy President of the NLC, Comrade Issa Aremu, who led the labour unions to picket the electricity distribution company, said it became necessary after effort to make the Federal Government to shelve the idea of the increment failed.

    He said Nigerians were paying more than they consumed for electricity supply and wondered why the Federal Government should increase the tariff when the supply had not improved.

    But the Managing Director/CEO of the Discos, Garba Haruna, an engineer, called on the protesting labour unions to stop the picketing of distribution companies, saying their action was counter-productive.

    Ekiti State: The organised labour also shut down the Ado Ekiti Business Office of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

    Officials of the state councils of NLC, TUC, Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nigerian Civil Service Union (NCSU), Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) led the picketing at the BEDC office.

     

    The labour leaders, who were led by the state TUC Chairman, Odunayo Adesoye, stormed the BEDC office at about 8.23am. They described the increase in electricity tariff as a “glaring robbery”, which must be resisted by Nigerians.

    Workers of BEDC were chased out of the building in the presence of the officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who had arrived at the place to ensure that the protest was not hijacked.

    The protest led to traffic along the Ajilosun Highway. Some residents, who came for one transaction or the other, went home disappointed.

    Adesoye described the tariff hike as “arbitrary and an extortion”, calling on the Federal Government to reverse the price. He vowed that the picketing would continue until their demands were met.

    The state NLC Chairman, Ade Adesanmi, said Nigerians could not be paying for services not rendered, adding that the Discos owed Nigerians explanations on the new tariff.

     

    Cross River State: The chairman of the state NLC, Comrade John Ushie, yesterday described the hike in electricity tariff as an economic crime.

    Ushie, who stated this after picketing the Calabar office of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), said the new tariff violates section 76 of power sector reform.

    He said the law requires that every consumer should have a meter before any increase in tariff.

    Ogun State: The state chapter of NLC also yesterday picketed the Abeokuta and Sagamu offices of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) over what they termed unjust and exploitative hike in tariff.

    The NLC state chairman, Comrade Ambali, who led the picketing exercise, said the tariff hike was an act of insensitivity to the plights of electricity consumers.

    Ambali noted that the organised labour staged the protest to rescue the masses “from the criminal and wicked hike”.

    The NLC was joined in the protest by TUC, Campaign for the Defence of Human Right (CDHR) and the electricity consumers, as they marched on major streets of Abeokuta and Sagamu metropolis to sensitise other electricity consumers against the new tariff.

    Armed with placards bearing different inscriptions, the angry protesters barricaded the entrance to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) offices on Moshood Abiola Way in Abeokuta and the one in Sagamu and prevented workers and customers from gaining access to their offices.

    Ebonyi State: The offices of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) were shutdown yesterday as directed by the NLC and TUC leadership.

    Chanting songs such “solidarity forever” and “We have decided to fight for the masses”, the workers besieged the head office of the distribution company as early as 8am.

    They were led by the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor and TUC Chairman Comrade Elias Oduma.

    Their presence forced the EEDC’s workers to lock up their offices and stop collection of electricity bills.

    Nwafor said “due process was not followed when increasing the tariff in consonance with section 78 of Power Reform”.

    He added that “there has been no significant improvement in service delivery”.

    Oduma said “most consumers have not been given meters in line with the Privatisation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of November 1, 2013, which stipulates that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers are to be metered”.

    “There is a subsisting court order dated May 28, 2015 by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, in the case of Toluwani Yemi-Adebiyi versus NERC and others”, he added.

    Edo State: Official activities were disrupted at the headquarters of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) by a combined protest against hike in electricity tariff hike by the organised labour and members of the civil societies in the state.

    The protest caused heavy vehicular traffic along major streets in Benin City. Vehicles were used to block the two entrance gates to the BEDC office. But officials of the Red Cross Society were on ground for any emergency.

    The state chairman of NLC, Emmanuel Ademokun, said the protesters were at the BEDC premises to effect a reversal of the new electricity tariff.

    Ademokun said they would not leave the BEDC premises until the tariff is cancelled.

    Niger State: Business activities also came to a halt at the offices of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in Minna as the state chapter of NLC and TUC picketed the offices.

    The members of organised labour, who arrived at the premises of AEDC at about 9am, asked workers who had already resumed to vacate the premises. The place was thereafter locked and sealed.

    The state TUC Chairman, Taminu Yunusa, said there was no resistance by the workers, adding that they were complying with the directive of labour national bodies.

    Security agents took over the premises to protect the property from vandals.

    Kanos State: Workers also stormed the head office of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) over the new tariff regime.

    The protesters, who chanted solidarity songs, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Trade union say no to unilateral & unlawful electricity increase”, “Baba Buhari! Save Nigeria” and others.

    Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the state NLC chairman, Comrade Ado Minjibir, said their mission was to let the general public understand the cost implications of the 45 per cent sudden hike of electricity tariff.

    He said it was left for the citizens to decide whether to pay or not.

    But the National Association of Electricity Employees (NUEE) disassociated itself from the protest.

    NUEE State Chairman Nasiru Ado Gezawa said the protest was wrongfully channeled to Discos.

    He said it should have been directed at their regulatory body, who orchestrated the hike.

    KEDCO Public Relations Officer Mr. Muhammed Kandi described the picketing as misplacement of priority, unreasonable and uncalled for.

    Ondo State: Business activities were yesterday paralysed by labour unions in the state over what they called “astronomical increase in electricity tariff by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC)”.

    The protesting labour unions were joined in the solidarity protest by members of the landlord associations and civil society organisations.

    They shut down operation at the office of the BEDC in Akure.

    The protesters, who carried placards with several inscriptions, caused heavy traffic on the popular Isinkan/NEPA road for many hours.

    Some of their placards read: “No meter, no payment”, “Compulsory metering of electricity consumers is disobeyed”, “45 per cent electricity tariff increase, an exploitation” and “Electricity is a social service and not to be commercialised”.

    The state NLC Chairperson, Bosede Daramola, led the picketing.

    Benue State: The NLC and civil society organisations (CSO) also staged a peaceful protest through major streets in Makurdi against the increased in electricity tariff.

    They matched through Wurukum and terminated their protest at the Makurdi Business unit headquarters of PHCN.

    They picketed the office, preventing people from going in or out.

    The PHCN Business Manager John Emeruwa addressed the protesters and appealed for understanding, saying he would forward their complaints to higher authorities for consideration.

    Osun State: Workers also locked the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) in Osogbo, the state capital.

    Members of the organised labour pasted different banners with anti-government messages on the main entrance of the company to express their displeasure against the development.

    However, the company’s Branding and Communication Manager, Mrs. Kikelemo Owoeye, could not be reached for comment.

    But a senior staff of the company, Mr. Fisayo Ajayi, said the protest was peaceful and devoid of any rancour.

    Abia State: Administrative and business activities at offices of the Enugu Distribution Company (EEDC) in Aba and other parts of the state were also crippled for over hours following the protest embarked by members of NLC.

    As early as 7am, members of the NLC stormed EEDC offices Aba, the commercial hub of the state, forcing workers of the establishment that came early to work out of their offices.

    The protesters later locked the entrance to the premises.

    EEDC workers left for their homes after a long wait without any move by the labour union to shift ground.

    Customers, who came to make payment or to complain, were left unattended to.

     

  • Ganduje tasks labour unions on housing scheme for workers

    Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, yesterday tasked labour unions in the state to join hands with his administration towards evolving a realistic housing scheme for workers in the state.

    Ganduje lamented that so far, a sustainable housing scheme for the workers has not been realized despite their immense contribution to the development of the state.

    The governor, who made the assertion during a Ramadan Iftar organized for members of the state branch of Nigeria Labour Congress and the Nigeria Union of Journalists at the Government House, Kano, said it is high time workers get permanent shelter for their families.

    “In advanced countries, if you are working, you have shelter,” he said as he lamented that the reversed situation is what is obtained in Nigeria.

    He also stressed the need for labour unions to work closely towards ensuring that Kano workers are incorporated in the Health Insurance Scheme as so doing, would make life better for them.

    While assuring that his administration will support journalists and workers to do their jobs well, Governor Ganduje hoped that their professional unions would work with the government towards achieving its goals.

    The state Commissioner for Information, Comrade Muhammad Garba said the new administration in Kano is assessing state-owned media with a view to upgrading their facilities for better service delivery.