On Monday, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) halted business activities at the Federal Ministry of Power in Abuja. The unions locked out the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and other ministry staff, preventing access to the Power House building in the Maitama District of Abuja.
Simultaneously, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) issued a deadline to the Federal Government, demanding the reversal of a recent electricity tariff hike by May 31, 2024. This decision followed a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting where the unions condemned the tariff increase as unjust and burdensome amidst economic hardships.
In a statement, the unions criticized the unilateral decision to raise tariffs without stakeholder consultation, demanding an immediate reversal to alleviate the suffering of Nigerian workers and citizens. The acting General Secretary of NUEE, Igwebike Dominic, emphasized that the shutdown would persist until the government engages with the unions or addresses their demands.
In a letter to Minister Adelabu, dated May 20, 2024, NUEE and SSAEAC expressed their dismay at the government's decision to liquidate the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) without consulting key stakeholders. The unions accused the ministry and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of running the sector unilaterally and detrimentally since Adelabu took office a year ago.
The unions highlighted several grievances:
- A 300 percent tariff increase implemented without stakeholder dialogue.
- The neglect of proposed salary reviews for workers.
- Unjustified deductions from TCN’s revenue, including an eight percent deduction for technical losses and a N2 billion monthly deduction imposed by NERC.
- The allocation of 46.7 percent of TCN’s revenue for Disco projects, despite Discos being privately owned.
They argued that these actions were designed to undermine TCN, portraying it as inefficient and paving the way for its unbundling and privatization for political gains.
The unions demanded the following:
1. Reversal of the unilateral tariff increase.
2. A review of workers’ salaries.
3. An end to all revenue deductions from TCN, with immediate reimbursement of deducted funds.
4. Allocation of electricity rebates to all sector staff.
5. Unionization of Gencos in compliance with the Labour Act.
The media aide to the power minister, Bolaji Tunji, responded by stating that the ministry was addressing the issue and that the permanent secretary would meet with the unions to resolve their concerns.
