The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) reiterated its demand on Monday for the Federal Government to reverse the Band A electricity tariff before engaging in negotiations with the union.
On April 3, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced the approval of a new electricity tariff for Band A customers, increasing it from N68/kWh to N125/kWh.
Speaking at the Federal Ministry of Power, NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that the government must return to the “status quo before any negotiation with the workers.”
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, who was absent as he reportedly attended the Federal Executive Council meeting, sent the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Mamudan Mamman, to address the protesting unions.
Mamman informed the unions that due to the intervention of the National Assembly, the minister was prepared to invite the workers for tariff negotiation.
In response, Ajaero insisted that negotiation could only proceed without pressure if the government returned to the status quo before engagement.
“Go back to status quo, even before you engage us, you have to return to the status quo. So that none of us will negotiate under any pressure, and you now start from there. But it can’t be at Band Z and Band A and ask us to come and discuss,” Ajaero said.
Earlier, Ajaero hinted that the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) would be directed to stop power supply nationwide if the government failed to return to the old Band A tariff within a week.