For authorizing a 50% hike in telecommunications rates, the federal government has come under fire from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
A 50 percent tariff hike was approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Monday for telecommunications firms (telcos).
The decision is a “clear assault” on the wellbeing of Nigerian workers, according to a statement released on Wednesday by NLC President Joe Ajaero.
The statement reads, “This decision is a clear assault on their welfare and an abandonment of the people to corporate fat cats, coming at a time when Nigerian workers and the masses are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship.”
“Telecommunication services are necessary for employment, information access, and everyday communication.
However, the ordinary Nigerian worker already spends about 10% of their income on telecom costs.
It is unsustainable for a worker on the present minimum pay of N70,000 to go from N7,000 to an astounding N10,500 a month, or 15% of his earnings.
A prime example of the government’s seeming ease in putting corporate profits ahead of the welfare of its constituents is this hike.
“It is striking that, despite the rising cost of living and inflation eroding purchasing power, the government approved a 50% tariff increase for telecom companies in less than a month but took almost a year to approve the recent minimum wage for workers.”
This stark discrepancy highlights an unsettling fact: the government seems to be more concerned with the needs of powerful corporations than with the needs of the people and workers it is supposed to represent.
When will the government defend the people it pledged to protect? is a question we must ask. The national parliament has a duty to hold the executive branch responsible for decisions that clearly harm the interests of the majority. When will it take action?
When in Nigeria will the average citizen breathe a sigh of relief?
“The NLC is in favor of the tariff review.”
The labor organization does not oppose tariff evaluations, but it does not support the agreed rate of increase, Ajaero stated.
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Therefore, he stated, “We urge the government, the NCC, and the national assembly to halt the implementation of this foolish hike so that a rational discussion can take place.”
“If the discussion decides that the hike is necessary, we can all look for a more compassionate raise rather than this 50% hike.
“The NLC urges all Nigerian workers and the general public to oppose this unreasonable tariff increase.”
He urged people to get ready for coordinated action, which might include a telephone service boycott across the country.
The campaign would work to reverse the tariff rise, according to Ajaero, who claimed it was crucial for “our dignity, our rights, and our survival” as a people.
