The ongoing protest by labour unions against the increase in electricity tariffs in the country on Monday brought activities the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Abakaliki to a halt.

Singing various songs such “solidarity forever” and “we have decided to fight for the masses,” the workers besieged the head office of the distribution company as early as 8am.

They were led by the state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ikechukwu Nwafor, and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Elias Oduma.

Their presence forced the staff to lock up the offices and stop the collection of electricity bills.

Nwafor told journalists that in increasing the tariffs, “due process was not followed in consonance with section 78 of Power Reform.”

He added that there had been no significant improvement in service delivery hence there was no justification for the increase.

He said, “The government has no right and due process was not followed; we say no to it; such (the increase in tariff) should be reversed with immediate effect.

“(Also the) condition for metering was not followed; Nigerians are not slaves to anybody; and we will resist it with everything within us and we will make it uncomfortable for them.”

Oduma on his part said, “most consumers are not metered in line with the signed Privatisation Memorandum of Undestanding of November 1, 2013 which stipulates that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers are to be metered.”

He added that there was a court order backing the position of the organised labour.

“There is a subsisting court order dated May 28, 2015 by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos in the case of Toluwani Yemi-Adebiyi versus NERC and others,” he added.

“The increment will further impoverish the people who are already suffering from the present economic recession in the country.”