NLC to FG: Address incompetence in power sector or risk collapse

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has advised the Federal Government to urgently take decisive steps against the alleged greed and incompetence in the power sector or risk its collapse under its present leadership.

The NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said this in a statement on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

Ajaero raised concerns over grid collapses under the leadership of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, saying the minister was more concerned about the allocation of about N8 billion in the 2025 budget for the “sensitisation of Nigerians on the need to pay electricity bills”.

He urged the National Assembly to throw the allocation out of the budget with a vow to mobilise against any attempt to use the budget to further waste resources that could be used to reduce the sufferings of Nigerians.

The NLC boss stated: “If the Ministry of Power is manned by competent officials, the now embarrassing constant grid collapse would have been averted instead of the worrying statement by the Minister that this will continue as if this has always been the norm.

“We believe that this is a clear admission of incapacity and failure by the Ministry and we wonder why they would not do the honourable thing by resigning. It has to be noted that the number of times the national grid has collapsed under these helmsmen is more than all the previous leaders in the history of our nation combined. Rather than the garrulous remarks, Nigerians expect more seriousness in handling their affairs.

“It is unimaginable that NERC colluded with deafening silence with the Board of one of the DISCOs to sack its Managing Director for exposing the unethical practices in the DISCO. Whistle-blowing as far as NERC is concerned has become an offence so, instead of an organization that is supposed to reward and protect a whistleblower, it rather connived to punish and sack the official.

“This is an Organisation that is saddled with ensuring transparency and efficient running of the Electricity sector but chose the contrary. NERC is therefore telling Nigerians that it is not prepared to discharge its mandate and has thus failed woefully which explains the shamble in the sector.

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“It is on this basis that we express our profound disappointment and outrage at the absurd quest for allocation of about N8 billion in the 2025 federal budget for the so-called sensitization of Nigerians on the need to pay electricity bills, as disclosed by the Honourable Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, during his recent budget defence in the National Assembly.

“This ludicrous proposal epitomizes the depth of profligacy, wastefulness, and corruption that has permeated governance in Nigeria. At a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with crushing poverty, runaway inflation, and the unbearable weight of a failing economy, it is both insulting and tragic that our leaders find it appropriate to squander public funds on such frivolities.

“Proposing to allocate a whopping N8 billion to sensitize Nigerians who are already burdened with exorbitant electricity tariffs reeks of arrogance, insensitivity and an utter disregard for accountability.”

“We call on the National Assembly to rise to its constitutional duty as the custodian of the people’s interests by removing this disgraceful allocation from the budget.

“Furthermore, we demand a comprehensive audit of the entire power sector budget and others to unearth other potential avenues for corruption and financial recklessness. The legislature must ensure that the national budget does not become a conduit for looting our collective resources and legalizing the theft of public funds under the guise of governance.

“Our position on this is clear, we will not stand idly by while public funds are wasted in the name of governance. This is another glaring reminder of why Nigeria remains in its current state of economic stagnation and why incompetence continues to thrive unchecked. We warn that failure to address this issue will further erode public confidence in government institutions and exacerbate the already dire socio-economic conditions facing millions of Nigerians.

“We will continue to monitor developments in this regard and will not hesitate to mobilize against any attempt to use the budget process as a vehicle for waste.”

The Star