Organised Labour in Ebonyi State took to the streets on Monday to picket the offices of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Abakaliki, the state capital. The protest was part of a nationwide action against the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
Led by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) chairman in Ebonyi, Ogugua Egwu, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Chidi Igboji, the workers visited the NERC office at Nsugbe Street and the EEDC offices at Awolowo Street and Town Planning Road beside Abakaliki Correctional Centre. Carrying placards and chanting songs, the workers expressed their displeasure over the tariff hike.
Some of the placards bore messages such as "NLC says no to electricity tariff increase," "NLC demands reversal of electricity tariff hike," and "Nigerian Government, let the poor breathe." Egwu condemned the increase as a reckless and wicked policy, emphasizing that it must be reversed.
"We are here to tell the world that their heartlessness, recklessness, and wickedness against ordinary Nigerians must be stopped," Egwu stated. "If it is not reversed by the government, who have decided to suffer us, we must continue to picket all EEDC and NERC offices till the hike is reversed."
Igboji echoed similar sentiments, describing the increase as evil and aimed at further impoverishing the poor masses. He urged EEDC and NERC to reconsider the hike and allow the poor to breathe.
