The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has stood firm on its demand for the federal government to revert the band A electricity tariff to its previous status before engaging in negotiations with the union.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, reiterated this demand during a visit to the Federal Ministry of Power, also known as Power House, in Abuja on Monday.
Ajaero emphasized that returning to the status quo would ensure that neither party negotiates under pressure. He warned that failure to meet this demand within a week would lead to the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) directing a nationwide power supply shutdown, plunging the country into darkness.
“We have to return to the status quo. So that none of us will negotiate under any pressure and you now start from there. But it can’t be at band Z and band A and ask us to come and discuss,” Ajaero stated.
The NLC delegation was received by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mamudan Mamman, in the absence of the Minister, Adebayo Adelabu, who was reportedly attending the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
Mamman disclosed that, based on the National Assembly’s intervention, the minister planned to invite the workers for tariff negotiation.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had announced the approval of a new electricity tariff for band A customers on April 3, 2024, prompting the ongoing dispute.