JOS, NIGERIA: The various unions led by Trade Union Congress (TUC) Civil Society Organization(CSO ) and NLC picketed the office of Electricity Distribution Company (JED) Plc, demanding that the Federal Government beam its anti-corruption searchlight on the Power sector and investigate the activities of DISCOS which according to them is very questionable.
Addressing the various unions that threatened to engage in mass action which will cripple activities in the energy sector should they continue with high tariff being imposed on electricity consumers, State NLC ChairmanJubril Bancir said they have taken to protest to signal DISCOS that they have reneged on the earlier arrangement reached between NLC, TUC, CSO and other trade unions before PHCN was privatized to them.
He said, “We have taken this step to caution DISCOS that they have taken a negative stand against Nigerians and if they don’t revert the stand we will embark on a mass action that would lead to the closure of their offices nation wide”.
“It was agreed during the privatization that no DISCOS will increase its price within 18 months without any consultative meeting with stake holders.”
He lamented the estimated bills given to customers adding that “DISCOs staff will not go to read any meter, they will just sit in the comfort of their offices and speculate and send you prices that you cannot afford to pay.”
Also speaking during the protest the Director of Civil Society Organizations (CSO)Steve Aluko described the action of DISCOs as subsidy stealing and called on federal government to probe the companies before it leads to public revolt.
“If you go to the rural communities they don’t even have meter, DISCOs will over priced them and force them to pay. If you visit some parts of Jos including Rukuba community, people pay to get the wires, people pay for poles, people pay for connections and for meter they have not seen, if it is so what are you getting the billing for?”
“We have also discovered that some widows in Tafawa Balewa in Bauchi state have been billed over N404,000 and we feel that if the fight against corruption in Nigeria must be taken seriously, the energy sector, must be a critical area that corruption must be fought to a stand still.”
When asked for comment on the organized Labour’s stance, the Public Relations Officer of JED Plc, Paul Ikwu said, “What do you want me to say? Tell me what to say in this situation.”
