Labour rejects tariff hike, epileptic power supply in Bayelsa
The organised labour in Bayelsa state has rejected the federal government’s increase in electricity tariff amid the current suffering by Nigerians.
It said such a hike was unacceptable in the state.
Speaking on Monday during a joint protest and picketing of the office of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) by the state chapters of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), NLC chairman Simon Barnabas urged the relevant authorities to immediately reverse the tariff hike in electricity.
He also decried a situation whereby despite the hike in tariff, epileptic power supply had become the order of the day in the state.
Barnabas said: “Our action today is a way to inform the government that the hike in tariff is unacceptable by us; of course, our national centres of NLC and TUC gave the directive that we should have a joint action here in Bayelsa State to express unacceptability of this policy.
“We are calling on the authority to have immediate reverse and of course pass information to our people that labour leadership is concerned about their well-being and welfare.
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“We are hoping that there will be a change of mind on the part of the government after this action, but where there is none, we have no option but to apply confrontation. The issue of epileptic power supply must be addressed; Nigerians should have constant power supply.”
Also speaking, TUC chairman in Bayelsa State, Comrade Julius Laye, said that introducing another taxation was not a way to go for Nigerians who are already suffering.
He wondered why the government was trying to bring two taxes, the electricity tariff hike and cyber security tax, despite the sufferings in the country.
He urged the government to feel the pulse of Nigerians at the moment and allow the masses to breathe.
He said: “We are very hopeful that we have a government that is sensitive and will yield to our demands, and knows the feelings of Nigerians that another tax is not the best way to go for Nigerians who are already suffering.
“Mr President must feel the feelings of Nigerians, allow Nigerians to breathe by making sure that these taxes do not come into existence. If you take the workers who are earning N30,000 as minimum wage to increase the electricity tariff, what about transport to work, what about people who are not working for the government?
“Nigerians should have constant electricity, but the reverse is the case. We are buying fuel, we are buying diesel, where will the people have money to pay for all these bills and also take care of the hiked tariffs, please let Nigerians breathe.”
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