Ogun: Angry civil servants protest, lock out electricity workers

http://www.gatewaymail.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Ambali-addressing-the-protesting-workers..jpg

 

NIGERIA: ANGRY workers in Ogun State on Monday kicked against the planned move by the Federal Government to hike electricity tariff.

They stormed the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) office on Moshood Abiola Way, Abeokuta where they prevented workers of the electricity firm from gaining entry into the premises.

Not only that, the civil servants who were led by their union leaders – the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Akeem Ambali, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Olubunmi Fajobi, and Yinka Folarin of the Coalition of Civil Societies – also blocked the road, causing gridlock for about an hour as motorists could not pass through.

As the workers refused to quit and were seen chanting anti-tariff slogans to show their displeasure, motorists plying the road had to make detour to continue their journey.

Apparently to prevent breakdown of law and order, policemen and other security agencies were seen monitoring the protesters, who mounted speakers on one of their vehicles, blaring the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s song of “Authority Stealing”.

The aggrieved workers, in their hundreds with placards, also took their protest to a bunch of markets and some major areas in Abeokuta metropolis to sensitize the public on the need to kick against the tariff.
Some of placards read “Stop the forceful extortion”, “Transformer and Pre-paid meter must be free,” “We say no to Increment”, “Electricity is Our Right”, and “Fashola Don’t be demonic, Stop extortion.”
The leaders of the protesters addressed the workers and they condemned the federal government, saying that any move to hike electricity fees would be rejected.

To them any hike would be seen as abnormal and would remain unaccepted to Nigerians.
Ambali, who is the NLC State Chairman, told GatewayMail that prepaid meters should be distributed to the masses free of charge as it was stated in the law.

Ambali, however, said that contrarily the Nigeria Power Holding Company has been charging citizens with huge amount of money before giving out the prepaid meters.
Similarly, the NLC boss said that Nigerians are being forced to make huge payments most of the time for electricity which they did not consume.

According to him, the electricity supply body did not take into consideration the economic situation in the economy before forcing Nigerians to pay unnecessarily for electricity.
“Any damages to prepaid meters and, or, transformers were always repaired by the CDA or landlords, without government intervention, still bills at high rates are distributed to electricity users, Ambali bemoaned.

• By Sodiq Sanni, Johnson Idowu, Odeyemi Ayobami, Oluwatobi Olabamiji and Otito Nwanosike