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Tariff hike: FG begs workers as electricity union insists on strike

Published

2 years ago

April 15, 2024

233 Views

The Federal Government has appealed to members of the National Union of Electricity Employees not to down tools over the recent electricity tariff hike.

This is as the union insisted that they would withdraw their services should the government fail to rescind its decision on the removal of subsidy on the tariff payable by Band A customers.

The National President of the union, Adebiyi Adeyeye, in an interview with our correspondent on Sunday said the union stood by its warning to the Federal Government.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission had on April 3 raised the electricity tariff for customers enjoying 20 hours of power supply daily.

Customers in this category were said to be under the Band A classification and the increase raised their tariff to N225 per kilowatt-hour, from N66KWh.

In its earlier reaction, the union had warned the government to reverse the tariff hike saying, “If the government fails to address the crippling cost of electricity, NUEE will not hesitate to take strong action, including the swift withdrawal of our members expected to be used by DisCos to impose the tariff hike on the good people, to protect the livelihood of our members.”

Adeyeye said the supply of 20 hours of electricity is not feasible with the current infrastructure.

“We just want the citizen to know that this thing is not possible, it is not feasible, you cannot give what you don’t have. When we don’t have the energy to give to the people and you ask our people to go out and collect such money, you know it is dangerous. Most times we don’t disclose what to do to the public because our sector is very critical to the nation,” he stated.

While saying that the union has yet to give any ultimatum on strike, he stressed the NUEE is advising the government to do the needful “before we will withdraw our services”.

He explained, “The reason why we are saying this is simple, you ask our members to go the the public to collect 20-hour tariff from people that are not even experiencing a four-hour supply of electricity. There is no way there won’t be crises between our staff and those customers.

“We’ve recorded a lot of attacks on our members, even with the present situation. And these guys have nothing to defend themselves. They have targets to meet where there is no supply. Our members are being threatened by the DisCos, even when they know that what they are promising Nigerians is not feasible”.

He disclosed that the union must save its members from daily attacks, saying the hike would aggravate the attacks.

“We told our members that they cannot go out and collect that kind of tariff from unmetered customers. More than 70 per cent of these Band A customers are not metered. The government is just promising what we don’t have. We are the ones working there, we know we don’t have the transformers to distribute such load. 20 hours of electricity is not possible except for those on eligible lines. We were not carried before the tariff hike,” the union leader emphasised.

Adeyeye, who said the union would not accept any threat from anyone said, “On the issue of strike, it is not what we normally do directly. We said it that we would withdraw our services if the government fails to do the needful, and we are still under that ‘if’. They still have time to do the needful. It is very difficult for us to collect such money. We don’t have the equipment to supply even 10 hours of electricity to the people.

“We stand on our point, and they can’t bring people from anywhere to come and do this work. We Nigerians will do this work ourselves and heaven will not fall. If they fail to do the needful, we will withdraw our members, and we will never accept any threat from anybody. Nigeria belongs to all of us”.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has urged the union not to withdraw its members.

In an interview, Adelabu, who spoke through his media aide, Bolaji Tunji, said the government was doing everything to improve supply in Nigeria and everybody will be happy at the end of the day.

“We just want to appeal to the labour union to understand what led to this. This is not about strike. it is about understanding; so that we can all work together. It is not anybody’s joy that there are blackouts all the time. These steps are being taken to solve the problems in the power sector. I beg the labour union to understand that this will galvanise the economy and create jobs.

“I want to appeal to the union to bear with us. It is for the good of the nation,” he stated.

Related Topics:Electricity Union Featured FG Tariff Hike

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Army Freezes Officer Retirements Amid Security Emergency

Published

51 minutes ago

December 7, 2025

Charles Flames

4 Views

The Nigerian Army has indefinitely suspended all statutory and voluntary retirements for hundreds of officers, citing the nationwide security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu on November 26.

The directive, contained in an internal memo dated December 3 and signed by Maj. Gen. E. I. Okoro on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, aims to preserve critical manpower and experience as the Armed Forces rapidly expand to tackle escalating insecurity.

November saw over 600 mass abductions, including more than 300 schoolchildren in Niger State, 38 worshippers in Kwara State, and 25 students in Kebbi State, among numerous others.

Invoking Paragraph 3.10(e) of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (Officers) 2024, the Army has halted retirements for officers who:

– Have reached the age ceiling for their rank

– Have completed 35 years of service

– Failed promotion examinations or conversion boards three times

– Were passed over for promotion three times.

Affected officers may apply to continue serving, but those granted extensions will be ineligible for further promotions, courses, secondments, or extra-regimental postings.

Commanders have been ordered to widely disseminate the policy, manage troop morale, and assure personnel that the suspension will be reviewed once the security situation stabilises.

The retirement freeze is the latest in a series of emergency measures following President Tinubu’s directive for the military, police, and intelligence agencies to significantly boost recruitment and deployment.

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Prominent PDP Figure Kola Ologbondiyan Resigns from Party After Decades of Service

Published

1 hour ago

December 7, 2025

Charles Flames

28 Views

In a surprise move that has sent ripples through Nigeria’s opposition politics, Kola Ologbondiyan, the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has formally resigned from the party, ending a storied career that spanned national leadership roles and high-stakes election campaigns.

Ologbondiyan, a seasoned political communicator and ex-journalist, announced his departure in a heartfelt letter dated December 5, 2025, addressed to the PDP Chairman of Okekoko Ward (Ward 09) in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The missive was made public on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, underscoring the finality of his decision amid ongoing internal PDP tensions.

In the letter, Ologbondiyan reflected on his journey with the party, extending profuse thanks to its leadership for the platforms afforded to him. “Let me start by thanking you as well as other levels of leadership in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the opportunities provided for me to serve the party as well as our fatherland, Nigeria,” he wrote, evoking a sense of closure to his contributions.

The resignation stems from a deeply personal reckoning, Ologbondiyan explained. After a thorough self-assessment of his role within the PDP’s structure, he determined that stepping away was the most appropriate path forward.

“It is now imperative to bring your attention to the fact that I have reviewed my participation in the PDP and came to the conclusion that, for personal reasons, I need to make my exit. I have therefore come to a decision to formally withdraw my membership of the PDP, henceforth,” he stated plainly.

He concluded the correspondence by notifying the ward executives of his immediate exit and extending warm wishes for the party’s future endeavors, a gesture that tempers the news with goodwill rather than acrimony.

Ologbondiyan’s tenure in the PDP was marked by pivotal media and advisory roles. He previously served as Director of Media and Publicity for the PDP Presidential Campaign Council during the 2019 general elections, where he helmed communications for Atiku Abubakar’s bid against then-incumbent Muhammadu Buhari.

Earlier in his career, he worked as a media aide to former Senate President David Mark, who now leads the African Democratic Congress (ADC), though no immediate ties to that party have been indicated in Ologbondiyan’s announcement.

The resignation comes at a precarious moment for the PDP, which has grappled with internal divisions and electoral setbacks since losing the presidency in 2015. Political analysts speculate that Ologbondiyan’s departure could signal broader disillusionment among the party’s old guard, though he has not yet hinted at future affiliations.

As of Sunday, reactions from PDP stalwarts remain muted, with the party’s national headquarters yet to issue an official response.

Ologbondiyan’s exit leaves a void in the PDP’s publicity machinery, where his sharp-witted defenses often shaped public narratives during turbulent times.