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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria joined the protest against the recent hike in electricity tariff.
The two unions were at the head office of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC where they prevented staff from gaining entry into their offices as part of the directive by the national secretariat to picket offices of Discos across the country.
The Chairman of NLC in the state, Mr Simeon Barnabas expressed sadness over the situation where workers and residents of Yenagoa experience epileptic power supply even after the hike in tariff.
He 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 immediately reverse and of course pass the information to our people that the labour leadership is concerned about their well-being and welfare.
“We are hoping that there will be change of mind on the part of government after this action, but where there is none, we have no option than to apply confrontation, the issue of epileptic power supply must be addressed, Nigerians should have constant power supply.”
His TUC counterpart, Julius Laye queried the rationale behind excess taxation on Nigerians by the current administration.
“We are very hopeful that we have a government that is sensitive and will yield to our demands, and know the feeling of Nigerians that another tax is not the best way to go on Nigerians who are already suffering.
“Mr President must feel the feelings of Nigerians and allow Nigerians breath, by making sure that these taxes do not come into existence. How do workers who are earning N30,000 as minimum wage cope with the increase the electricity tariff, what about transport to work, what about people who are not working for government?
“Nigerians should have constant electricity, but 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 hike tariffs, please let Nigerians breath,” he said.
