The Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, on Monday, shut down the work premises of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company as well as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, stopping workers from entering the premises.
The leaders of the Congresses in a recent letter addressed to NERC gave until today, to reverse the hike in electricity tariff to N65/kWh or face nationwide action.
BusinessDay visit to AEDC and NERC showed that vehicles and workers alike were asked to turn back and return to work the next day.
A staff who pleaded anonymity at the AEDC told BusinessDay that he had come to the office on Monday morning with other colleagues, who were later told to leave the premises by protesting members of the NLC and TUC.
“I came to work this morning but they didn’t allow me to go inside, as you can see the gates are currently locked by the unions. No staff is currently inside.
NERC, in April, had ordered the immediate upward review of electricity tariffs from N68 per kilowatt to N225.
According to Musiliu Oseni, the review was expected to affect only customers classified under the Band A feeder which according to him represented o
15 per cent of electricity consumers
Accordingly, he said, power distribution companies (DisCos) will be allowed to raise electricity prices to N225 ($0.15) per kilowatt-hour from N68.
Since the announcement, the decision has attracted criticism among Nigerians.
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