Imo Workers Locked out as Labour Pickets Offices

The Imo workers of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and Distribution Companies have been locked out of their offices as Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress have picketed the entrances to the offices.

Speaking to The PUNCH on Monday, in Owerri, Imo State, the NLC Chairman, Comrade Uche Chigamezu Nwigwe, noted that the regulatory bodies and EEDC have over one month now thrown Imo residents, especially workers, into untold hardship with the exorbitant bill they bring that they did not consume. He said the national Secretariat has given them directive to picket all the offices of NERC, Discos and EEDC in the state starting from today Monday.

Nwigwe regretted that since April 3, when the Federal Government increased the Electricity tariff to over 200 percent, the distribution bodies have turned Imo workers into milking cows. He noted that the increase in tariff is fraud and criminal because they are paying more now with no lights to show for it.

The TUC chairman, Imo State chapter, Charles Amalu, hinted that Imo State consumes 120 megawatts but regretted that DisCos is providing between 12 and 15 megawatts. “How can we have lights with the shortage of megawatts?” he asked.

“Today, in Imo State, only 10 percent of residents have prepaid meters while 90 percent have unestimated bills thrown to them.”

He revealed that the World Bank has given support for the provision of prepaid meters but the regulatory bodies have decided to subject Nigerians to suffering. Amalu said the essence of privatization has been defeated, adding that Discos is a known evil to Nigerians.

The Labour Leaders called on the Federal Government to reverse the tariff without further delay as it’s impoverished the workers and Nigerians more, adding, “We will fight this fraud to the last if the government does not reverse the electricity tariff.”

It will be recalled that NLC and TUC had issued a joint letter to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, dated May 3, 2024, and copied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, the Ministers of Labour and Power, and the electricity distribution companies, DisCos, among others on the reversal of tariff.

Source: Punch