The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, to resign if he cannot address the frequent collapse of the national electricity grid. The NLC also condemned the Ministry of Power’s plan to allocate ₦8 billion in the 2025 budget for public sensitization on paying electricity bills, describing it as wasteful and questionable.
In a statement signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero, the Congress criticized the power sector’s management, stating that incompetence and negligence have driven it to the brink of collapse.
“The power sector in Nigeria is on the verge of collapse due to the gross incompetence of its leaders. The Minister’s focus on ₦8 billion for sensitization, while grid collapse persist, reflects misplaced priorities and failure,” Ajaero said.
The NLC expressed disbelief at the Minister’s admission during a recent National Assembly budget defense that grid collapses will continue, describing it as an acknowledgment of incapacity.
The Congress highlighted that while the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) owes contractors over ₦200 billion for capacity-building projects, the Ministry seeks billions for what it termed frivolous spending.
“At a time when Nigerians are struggling with poverty, inflation, and economic hardship, proposing to spend ₦8 billion on educating the public on paying exorbitant electricity bills is both insensitive and wasteful,” the statement continued.
The NLC also criticized the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for failing to regulate the sector effectively and alleged its complicity in unethical practices, including the dismissal of a whistleblowing official by a Distribution Company (Disco).
“Nigerians expect seriousness in managing their affairs, not garrulous remarks or collusion with unethical practices,” the Congress concluded.
The NLC urged the Minister and other sector leaders to prioritize resolving critical issues rather than engaging in unnecessary expenditures.