The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has rejected plans by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, to migrate electricity consumers from lower tariffs to Band A.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the National Executive Council meeting of the NLC held in Yola, Adamawa State, and was jointly signed by President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, and the General Secretary of the Congress, Emmanuel Ugboaja.

The labour leaders in the communique unequivocally rejected the ongoing reclassification of electricity consumers by the NERC, stating that the plan to migrate consumers from lower bands to band A under the guise of service improvement, would lead to unjustified extortion of the masses and economic hardship for the working class and broader Nigerian populace.

According to them, the migration would further deepen the misery of Nigerians, stating that NEC also acknowledged the agreement reached between NLC and the federal government through the Joint 10-Man Committee, which reduced the initially proposed telecommunications tariff hike from 50 to 35 per cent.

They further urged workers to remain resolute, organised, and uncompromising in the collective struggle for a fair and equitable Nigeria.

9News Nigeria reports that some part of the communique stated that; “Whereas inflation has soared, wages remain stagnant, and the cost of living has become unbearable,

“The NEC-in-session warned that any attempt to announce further electricity tariff increases would be met with mass resistance.

“The Congress resolved to immediately mobilise for a nationwide protest should the Ministry of Power and NERC proceed with their exploitative plan to further hike electricity tariffs under any guise,” they said