By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (NLC) Ebonyi State chapter has shut down the offices of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in Abakaliki capital city.
The state organised labour leaders blocked the NERC office at Nsugbe Street, Abakaliki, as early as 7:30 am on Monday, chanting solidarity songs, but the staff of NERC were not seen as their offices were under lock and key.
Not minding the absence of NERC officials, the labour leaders still blocked the entrance gate of the NERC office for about an hour to ensure no one got into the premises.
The organised labour later proceeded to the EEDC office at Awolowo Street, Abakaliki, where the offices were also seen to be under lock and key.
Yet, the labour leaders were still undisturbed as they blockaded the Awolowo EEDC office for an hour before they moved forward to the second office of EEDC located at Town Planning Road, opposite Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, where EEDC staff were seen at their offices.
However, the labour leaders instantly ordered them out of their offices and asked them to go home, maintaining that no work until their demands were met.
Nigerian Pilot reports that the EEDC staff were immediately forced out of their offices by the Labour Leaders who quickly locked up the offices while chanting solidarity songs.
They were at the spot for hours, making sure the EEDC staff had gone home and no one coming into the office before leaving the place.
The labour leaders carried placards with inscriptions such as: "The poor must breathe," "the NLC/TUC demand that the new electricity tariff must be reversed," and "Nigerians say, no increase in electricity tariff," among other"
While addressing Journalists, the NLC State Chairman, Professor Ogugua Egwu, said the picketing followed a directive from the national leadership of the organized Labour.
Egwu said Nigerians have become tired of the inhuman policies of some government officials against the poor masses, adding that the recent increment in electricity tariff was an act of wickedness and must be reversed.
"We picketed NERC and EEDC offices and we made sure that the few people we saw were ordered to leave their offices. We made sure all offices were under lock and key. The managerial staff were not seen, perhaps they knew the organized Labour was coming with force. We are insisting that the poor must breathe and they must reverse the new electricity tariff which is to the tune of over 300% when workers' salaries have not been increased in the past 5 years. The minimum wage is now a dead wage. The PMS pump price is alarming and they now want to increase the electricity tariff. We say it's not going to work", the NLC Chairperson said.
On his part, the State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Chidi Igboji, corroborated the position of Comrade Professor Egwu, maintaining that the new electricity tariff must be reversed instantly.
He said the Nigerian people are ready for a showdown with any government official who wants to worsen the current suffering of Nigerians.
Recall that the residents of Azugwu Street in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital, have staged a warning protest over a 3-month blackout and alleged negligence on the part of the EEDC to restore a failed transformer in the area during the weekend.
Also, residents of Ogboloko, New Heaven and Uloanwu, among other streets in the Abakaliki metropolitan area lamented the same blackout from January to May 2024, saying the ugly development has crippled businesses in their areas as most shop owners depended on EEDC for power supply.
