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Fashola Blasted by TUC Over Hike in Electricity Tariff, Vows to Resist it
Posted by Thandiubani on Fri 05th Feb, 2016 - tori.ngThe Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has come under severe criticism for his role in the hike of electricity tariff many have said will cause the masses more suffering.
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has been lambasted by Trade Union Congress for his insistence that hike in electricity tariff was proper even as the masses still suffer epileptic power supply.
TUC said the announcement by National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, of the hike in electricity tariff was totally unacceptable and will be resisted by the unions to salvage Nigerians from hardship.
In a statement signed by the President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Barrister Musa Lawal, Secretary-General, TUC made its case clear.
The statement said: “Any Act that preys on the masses that it is supposed to protect negates public policy. Any Act that compels the citizens to pay for services not delivered is not only flawed and undemocratic but is ultra-vires the power of the Assembly to make laws for the good of the country, and should not enjoy any applicability.
“Any Act that further impoverishes the downtrodden and lowly is evil and should be discountenanced. We lend our voice again to advocate the need for the minister and NERC to stop trying to enforce the obnoxious Act,”
“It is high time the minister and proponents of the tariff increase are reminded that one of the major reasons Nigerians demanded a change of leadership in May 2015 was so they could heave a sigh of relief. A major expectation was that we would, for once, stop paying for services that are not rendered.
“We never anticipated that the already fraudulent billing system would be made worse. We saw no NERC/FASHOLAGATE in the horizon!
“While we agree that the cost of procuring raw materials to generate electricity could be high, does it make any economic sense that the poor barber who still finds himself having to fuel his small generator even at the current high rate should be made to pay more for a service whose supply is very irregular and uncertain?
“With the benefit of hindsight it has become evident that the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, was a well-crafted ploy to deceive Nigerians into believing that it would address their pains.”
The TUC which enumerated reasons why the hike should be rejected by all Nigerians, described it as dictatorial.
“Due process stipulated in extant laws for such increment was not observed. We refer especially to Section 76 of the Power Sector Reform Act 2005.
“Privatisation in any part of the world is meant to inject fresh funds into the concerned sector, and not to impose ridiculous tariffs on the groaning masses. The power situation in Nigeria is proving the reverse.
“The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria will steadfastly resist the satanic Act and its advocates until the right things are done,” the labour union said.
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