The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the shelving of the proposed plan of electricity tariff hike by July 1 for the collective good and safety of Nigerians.

Joe Ajaero, NLC President, said this in a statement titled “Shelve this tariff hike” and made available to reporters on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Ajaero, the plan to increase electricity tariff by 40 per cent by July 1 would further compound the current hardship of ordinary Nigerians.

“The massive increase is explained away as a response to the over 100 per cent increase in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS).

“Details reveal a movement in inflation from 16.9 per cent to 22.41 (threatening to needle 30), and a shift  in exchange rate from  N441 to N750. We believe not even these figures are a justification for this proposed tariff increase.

“The issue of capacity to pay and quality of service delivery are not only  germane but superior to any rationalisation by market logic. The service providers in spite of sundry support have not been able to meet the threshold of 5,000 megawatts,” he said.

The NLC president said that the proposed hike would lead to a ripple effect by other product or service providers in the country.

He noted that the ordinary Nigerians needed to be protected from these economic vagaries that are suddenly thrust on them.

“We would want to advise the apostles of the market who have called NLC all sorts of names to check their conscience. The rate at which they are going is highly combative and combustible,” Mr Ajaero said.

He called for more novel interventions to cushion the effect of these tariff hikes on the majority of Nigerians.

“In light of this, our advice is that this proposed tariff  hike should be shelved for our collective safety.”

(NAN)