By Austin Ogwuda
THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC has vowed to resist the Federal government over the ongoing controversy to hike electricity tariffs.
The Federal government had on Friday, insisted on the 240 per cent hike in tariff payable by power consumers in the band ‘A’ category despite calls for its reversal.
Labour while fingering the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF as forces pushing the federal government into such decisions declared that “since the government preferred to listen to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, it should be ready to face the consequences”.
It however did not disclose what action or actions it is intending and the extent of the “consequences”.
The Head of Information, NLC, Benson Upah, told PUNCH, “We did say earlier that this tariff hike is insensitive and unpopular. So if the government elects to continue with the hike or persists in something that is evil, I am sure it is equally prepared for the consequences of that evil.
“The manufacturers are saying this is going to hurt businesses and make the environment more hostile, and we also said so. There is no place in the world where high power tariffs have supported manufacturing. Not even in the developed world.
“So, it completely beats our imagination for the minister to have the audacity to say that the policy would continue. What this means is that the minister and the President are not in charge. It is saddening that the minister elected to pursue an unpopular policy.
“It shows that the Minister and the President are not in charge. The people in charge are the World Bank and the IMF. They are the ones driving this highly injurious policy.
“So, our leaders should be prepared for the consequences of this highly injurious policy. That is what I will say about this issue for now’, he stated.
Credit: Punch
