BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG  & WILLIAM JIMOH

LAGOS—ORGANISED Labour and its civil society allies yesterday crippled activities at the Marina headquarters of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC, over alleged extortion of consumers through manipulation of tariff among others.

Other grievances include de-unionsation of workers, victimisation of unionists and labour leaders.

Coordinated by Lagos and Ogun State Councils of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, they decried the epileptic power supply, crazy and estimate bills, fixed charges and other alleged extortionist practice of the management of EKEDC.

They displayed placards with inscriptions such as, “Investors in power sector should stop exploitation of Nigerians”, “You cannot dictate to Nigerian labour”, “Senate stop power privatisation”, “PHCN retirees: pay us our gratuities now, stop trading with it”, “Retirees are senior citizens, please respect them”, among others.

Addressing the protesters, Lagos NLC Chairman, Mr. Idowu Adewale, said “Workers should be allowed to belong to any association of their choice. There are issues such as epileptic power supply, electricity tariffs, estimate bill, fixed charges that the administration should be more concerned about. Most of the people that are working here before privatisation belong to the union, the workers are given six months probation and how do you expect them to indicate if they will belong to the union. It is a way to cripple the union.”