President-General and General Secretary of the union, Peter Esele and Peter Kolawole respectedly, in a statement in Lagos, said the proposed increase in electricity tariff is illogical given the fact that the product is unavailable to most Nigerians.
Hiking electricity tariff now, according to the union, will also be a double tragedy for our industries that are not competitive due to high cost of diesel and other petroleum products, with the eventual result of job losses and other social dislocations.
The union reasoned that without constant power supply, manufacturing companies and all aspects of human endeavors will be un-meaningful and uneventful.
‘’The Administrator of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was recently quoted as saying that electricity tariff review does not mean an increase. Why talk about electricity review instead of thinking of how best to improve on our generating capacity using available human and material resources that abound in all nooks and crannies of the country. Electricity supply should be a social service program which should benefit the masses no matter their social standing.
The pertinent question we would love to ask is, Should the tariff on electricity be increased when the masses, for over a decade, have not enjoyed constant electricity supply? When in actual fact they should at least enjoy 12 hours of uninterrupted power supply.’’
The union therefore implore the Federal government to encourage the diversification of the source of raw materials as well as continue with the laudable programme of bringing lasting peace to the Niger Delta region.
According to the union, the Federal Government should do what is right and stop the proposed increase, adding that gas supply to thermal power stations should be encouraged at all cost.
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