Commercial activities in Benin, the Edo State capital, were grounded ‎on Monday, following a mass protest by workers and residents, under the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and civil society organisations, against the increase in electricity tariff by distribution companies.

The protesters, who carried placards bearing several inscriptions to express their ‎grievances, marched from the National Museum to the head office of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company on Akpakpava Road, where they barred entry and exit from the premises of the company.

They also marched round the busy Ring Road, disrupting the flow of traffic.



The demonstrators, who were later joined by passersby, described the 45 per cent tariff increase as “electricity slavery” meant to increase the hardship which had already befallen Nigerians, due to the harsh economy.

The State Chairman of the NLC, Mr. Emmanuel Ademokun‎, accused the distribution company of disobeying a court order which, according to him, stayed action on the said increase.

“‎We are here for picketing, as directed by the national body of the TUC, NLC and the civil society, against the electricity tariff increase. The BEDC has actually refused to obey a court order; we are here to enforce that and tell them to remove the 45 per cent increase.

‎”The civil societies, pensioners and market women are here with us. It is a fight for everybody; it is not a fight for only the workers.

‎He noted that the Benin Disco, like its counterparts in other states, had failed to meet the expectations of Edo residents, as many of its customers were still subjected to estimated billing due to the non-availability of pre-paid metres.

He also said that the organised labour would continue to kick against the action of the disco, until it reversed its decision.‎

“They (BEDC) are not improving anything. The law is quite clear; the memorandum of understanding says before any increase, you call the stakeholders and you must metre all the house in the entire nation‎,” he said.

“About 80 per cent of Nigerians are yet to have metres and they are given estimated bills. The 45 per cent ‎increase is too much for the common man to bear and we are against it.”

Efforts to get comments from the management of BEDC were unsuccessful at the time of filing the report.

However, a source in the company said that the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors was in the best position