The organized labour unions today, paralysed activities in nearly all offices of the Electricity Distribution Companies nationwide, following its protest over increased in electricity tariff.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that protesters, led by labour leaders in states, picketed the companies in compliance to the directive of the labour unions.

The protest was led nationwide by leaders and members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and civil society groups.

At the head office of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in Imo, the protesters, as early as 7a.m., padlocked the gate to the company preventing entry into the premises.

At the office located at No. 1, Royce Road, a banner with the inscription, “Organised labour says no to hike in electricity tariff; provide us with prepaid meters, not estimated bills’’, was tied to the gate.
Austin Chilakpu, the state NLC chairman, said the reason for the action was to make known their displeasure over the recent hike in electricity tariff.

“What NLC is doing in Imo today is also taking place in the other 36 states and Abuja.

“We call for this protest following the recent hike in the electricity tariff by 43 per cent and the continued issuing of estimated bills to customers,’’ he said.
Chilakpu recalled that after privatisation of PHCN, the new owners assured that before any increase in tariff, they would make prepaid meters available to consumers.

“Regrettably, since they took over, the prepaid meters have not been supplied; they only stay back in their offices and issue estimated bills to customers.

“There is no form of corruption like what is going on in the distribution companies, and it is very painful that this is going on while the federal government is fighting corruption,’’ he said.
The NLC chairman also said that the increase was in disobedience to an existing order of a Lagos High Court.

Also in Calabar, Cross River, the NLC locked out workers of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC).

Mr John Ushie, chairman of NLC in the state said that the action became necessary in order to stop the uncompromising attitude of the distribution companies towards the plight of Nigerians.

According to him, allowing the hike will cause more hardship and increase the spate of criminality in the country.

`If there is an increase in petrol, you pay and you see what you are buying.

“In the case of electricity, we do not know what we are buying and what we are paying for.

“There is no light and even when there is light we are having a candle-like kind of light, yet they have gone ahead to increase tariff.

“We are here this morning to say no to that.

“This picketing is just for one day and after today, if the federal government and the companies do not budge, we will declare a total lock down of the sector,’’ he said.

In Abakaliki, Ebonyi, the story is not different, as the labour also shut down the head office of the EEDC in Abakaliki.

Chanting various protest songs, the workers besieged the head office of the distribution company as early as 8a.m.

The workers were led in the protest by the NLC State Chairman, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwafor and hisTUC

Speaking to news men, Nwafor said that due process was not followed in consonance with section 78 of Power Reform Act.

“The government has not followed the right way and due process was not adopted.

“We say no to this and as such the increment should be reversed with immediate effect.

“Conditions for metering was not followed, Nigerians are not slaves to anybody, we will resist it with everything within us,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Oduma said that most consumers were not metered in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on privatization signed on Nov. 1, 2013.
According to him, the agreement stipulates that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers are to be metered.

The Adamawa branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress also joined the nationwide protest against the electricity tariff increment.

The that protesters barricaded the Yola Electricity Distribution Company in the state capital.
Dauda Maina, state Chairman of NLC, said that the protest was to tell the government and the energy companies that they oppose the new tariff.

Maina stated that the tariff increment was an exploitation that would create additional hardship on Nigerians.

“The new tariff is an indirect way of exploiting the consumers.

“We are of the view that the fixed charges earlier withdrawn should be sustained and the tariff should also be reverted to the status quo,” Maina said.

Reacting to the protest, Mr. Kingsley Nkemneme, Senior Corporate Communications Officer of the YEDC said that the reviewed tariff was done in the interest of the consumers and the Nigerian power sector.

“What was obtainable before now is not a cost reflective figure that will improve the power sector.
He said that the main component of the reviewed tariff was the removal of the fixed charges and that the new tariff was “pay as you go.”

The protest was peaceful across the states covered, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as armed security operatives were stationed to forestall break down of law and order. [myad]

In search of ghost pensioners, the Lagos state government has today flagged off Biometric Verification Exercise otherwise known as I’m Alive for pensioners in the State.
The state commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akinola Benson-Oke said at the flag-off that the  exercise would contribute greatly to effective pensions administration in the State.
He said that it would remove the issue of double representation and impersonation of pensioners on the pay roll.
He said that the exercise is part of governor Akinwunmi Ambode led administration’s commitment to fully integrate technology into governance in the State.
The Commissioner said that the improvement in the Lagos State Residents Registration Project has been tremendous which has translated into huge benefits in the I’m Alive initiative, saying that pensioners need only to bring their LASRRA Identity Cards to the verification centres in order to re-validate their records.
He said that through this method, government has been able to ascertain the real pensioners on the old scheme thereby eliminating fraudulent acts in the payment of pensions and gratuities which have invariably ensured prompt payment of monthly pensions or an electronic transfer of such to the right pensioners.
“This initiative demonstrates, once again, the commitment of the state government to ensuring that resources are prudently managed for the benefit of all and sundry, especially for the benefit of retired public servants who have served the state meritoriously.”
Benson-Oke affirmed that 15 centres have been set up at designated Local Government Secretariats in the State for pensioners to participate in the on-going exercise.
The centres include Somolu, Agege, Alimosho, Amuwo/Odofin, Badagry, Epe Local Government Areas (LGAs). Others are Eti/Osa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Kosofe, Lagos Island, Mushin, Oshodi/Isolo and Surulere LGAs in order to ensure that every pensioner is captured and given the opportunity to participate in the programme.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Civil Service Pension Office, Mrs. Omobolanle Ogunmola, said that the exercise is one of the many activities dedicated to serving the state retirees and it has contributed in no small measure to the attainment of the enviable status of the state among others in the country.
She said that her ministry is about to round up on the distribution of welfare packages, consisting of various foods items, to pensioners that are 70 years and above, while efforts are on to obtain Governor’s approval for beneficiaries’ age to begin from 60 years.
It would be recalled that the State Government in the Y2016 Budget, earmarked N6.5 billion for the settlement of pension arrears in addition to making adequate provisions for the contributory pension scheme in the State. [myad]

Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has said that Nigerians must have learnt a bitter lesson from the bad leadership this country had been riddled with in the past years.
According to him, as a nation, “we have learnt our lesson.”
Professor Osinbajo, who spoke today when he received in audience, a delegation of the global body-Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), said that going Muhammadu Buhari’s government is determined to work transparently and generate more revenues.
“it is important for us that we handle our resources with transparency and good governance.
“One of the objectives that we have set for ourselves is to ensure that we are transparent and able to handle our resources well.”
The Acting President argued that if the past leaders had handled the nation’s resources better, with transparency, and good governance, “we would not find ourselves were we are now.”
He said that the Buhari administration is determined to work with the Nigeria Extractive Industry and Transparency Initiative (NEITI) to ensure good governance and to work hard towards generating more revenues with proper accounts.
On the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), Professor Osinbajo assured that government is working with the National Assembly to get the bill passed into law.
“We want to see what will come out of the bill because this will give some regulatory direction and we are working very closely to get that done.”
The in-coming global Chairman of EITI, Mr. Fredrik Reinfeldt, a former Prime Minister of Sweden commended Nigeria’s commitment to the EITI process, saying he has been following the restructuring of the NNPC, and other developments in the oil sector. On the delegation were also the Acting Executive Secretary of the NEITI, Mr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji and the Deputy Head of the EITI global, Mr. Eddie Rich.
The Minister of State for Budget & Planning, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed and the former Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), were in at the meeting with the Acting President.
Also today the Vice President received delegations from Nigeria Leadership Initiative, NLI class of 2015 and the Nigerian Institute of Legislative Studies, NILS.
He told the delegation from the NLI that considering the extent of effort required to address the socio-economic impact of the insurgency in the Northeast, Nigerians with the required capacity should partner with different agencies of government to rehabilitate and rebuild the area.
“It would be useful to work with the Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiative to achieve some of its objectives.”
The Acting President commended the class for its work, even as he asked the group to go further and play a more active role beyond making a documentary submission. Professor Osinbajo said that there is quite a lot to be done and lots of effort are underway.
The group was led by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Dr. Okey Enelamah and Central Bank Deputy Governor, Mrs. Sarah Alade.
Dr. Enelamah informed the Acting President about the proposed documentary project of the group, which focuses on the humanitarian crisis in the North East is a collective issue rather than government concern alone.
In his meeting with the NILS, Vice President Osinbajo expressed government readiness to support the work of the Institute, saying that the Institute plays a prominent role in the legislative arm of government.
In his remarks, the leader of the delegation, the Senate Committee Chairman on Water Resources and also a member of the Governing Council of NILS, Senator Muhammad Ubali Shitu, expressed their support for the change agenda of the Buhari’s Administration and praised the Vice President’s response to support the Institute. [myad]

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has alerted the public that it had no intention of recruiting 5,000 in March as it was recently published in some newspapers.
In a statement, the Deputy Comptroller of Immigration who is Service Public Relations Officer, Ekpedeme King said that the purported statement which said to have been made by the Public Relations Office of the Service when clarifying what the newspapers considered as “secret” recruitment into the Service was false
King made it clear that at no time did he say that the NIS would recruit 5, 000 staff in March 2016 during his discussions.
“It has become very important to state this fact to prevent any anxiety amongst interested persons or provide a window for fraudsters to dupe gullible unemployed Nigerians.
“These are facts. The Nigerian Military have successfully reclaimed all parts of the North East of Nigeria from the insurgents. Following these victories and the imperative of moving to other areas and duties, the paramilitary agencies have been directed to have administrative presence in those areas in order to ensure that the insurgents stay off.
“Consequently, the NIS like other agencies in acknowledgment that it had lost some men to the insurgency, while some had retired from Service, yet others have been promoted to ranks that had necessitated that their schedule of duties change within the last few years forwarded a request to Government for special consideration for replacement of the number that were involved in order to meet up with the manpower needed for this mandate just like others did.
“This request was considered and graciously approved by Government and all necessary waivers made to enable the NIS urgently replace these positions with qualified and fit persons for the demanding task.
“More importantly, although approval has been granted, the replacement has not taken place yet, let alone payment of January salary to them as alleged. As a matter of fact, officers and men of all the services had not been paid their January 2016 salaries as at the time of the publication. We therefore challenge any person who has any contrary view or fact to present the letter of appointment of any such recruit or/and evidence of payment of January 2016 salary.
“May I emphasize that the replacement is NOT part of the 5, 000 vacancies that was approved by the Head of Service of the Federation in 2012 which is still pending. Please be informed that the public will be duly notified anytime there will be recruitment to fill these existing vacancies after due consultations and consent of relevant agencies in line with laid down procedures.” [myad]