TUC’s Rejection Of Proposed 65% Electricity Tariff Hike Excites Customers

Nigerians across various socio-economic backgrounds have expressed relief and excitement following the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC)’s firm rejection of the proposed 65% hike in electricity tariffs. 

The TUC’s position, articulated in a communique at the end of its first-quarter National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting in Abuja, has been met with widespread approval from consumers who have long decried the exorbitant cost of electricity amid worsening economic conditions. 

For many Nigerians, the proposed tariff increase would have been an unbearable burden, further deepening economic hardship. 

Mr. Adekunle Oyedeji, a trader in Lagos, commended the TUC for standing up against what he termed “daylight extortion.” 

“We are already paying so much for darkness. Every month, I receive electricity bills even when there is no light for days. If they go ahead with this increase, how do they expect people like us to survive?” Oyedeji lamented. 

Similarly, Mrs. Patience Ekene, a schoolteacher in Abuja, described the proposed hike as an injustice against hardworking Nigerians. 

“Salaries are not increasing, the price of food is skyrocketing, and now they want to increase electricity tariffs by 65%. How can we cope? I am glad that the TUC has rejected it. The government needs to listen to the people,” she said. 

Addressing newsmen after the NAC meeting, TUC President Festus Osifo did not mince words in condemning the proposed tariff hike. 

According to him, the government’s consideration of the increase, despite the economic suffering already experienced by citizens, was both “ill-timed” and “oppressive.” 

“It is alarming that the government is considering this hike when the previous increment has already inflicted severe hardship on citizens. This proposed increase is not only ill-timed but also a deliberate act of economic oppression against Nigerians, who are already struggling under unbearable economic conditions,” Osifo stated. 

He further criticised the failure of power distribution companies to deliver improved service quality despite past tariff increments. “Most consumers, regardless of their tariff band, continue to live in perpetual darkness,” he added. 

The TUC’s rejection of the proposed hike is not just about electricity tariffs. The Congress also voiced its disapproval of the planned 50% increase in telecom tariffs and the reintroduction of toll gates on Nigeria’s highways. 

Osifo emphasised that these decisions were being made without proper stakeholder engagement or consideration of their economic impact on the masses. 

“The NAC views the planned toll gate reintroduction as an insult to Nigerians, who are being asked to pay tolls on roads that are in total disrepair. 

Our highways are death traps, unsafe, abandoned, and filled with potholes. The government should focus on fixing them before imposing tolls,” he said. 

The TUC’s firm stance has sparked a wave of support from civil society groups and ordinary Nigerians. Consumer rights activist, Mr. Chijioke Nwankwo, hailed the decision as a necessary intervention against policies that would further impoverish the people. 

“Electricity is a basic necessity, not a luxury. Any increase at this point would only push more Nigerians into poverty. The government must reconsider its approach to economic policies and focus on making life easier, not harder, for the people,” Nwankwo stated. 

For now, Nigerians are hopeful that the government will heed the warnings of the TUC and reconsider the proposed electricity tariff hike. As the conversation continues, one thing remains clear: consumers are determined to resist any move that threatens their economic survival.