NCWGG Challenges Labour Congress Over 5% Telecom Tariff Increase
The Nigeria Citizen Watch for Good Governance (NCWGG) has announced its opposition to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)’s planned nationwide protest against the recent 5% telecom tariff hike, set for February 4, 2025.
Why NCWGG Supports the Tariff Increase
According to a statement issued on Thursday by Collins Eshiofeh Idowu, the group’s president, NCWGG believes the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) made the right decision by approving the tariff hike.
They argue that this increase is necessary to sustain the telecommunications sector, which plays a crucial role in job creation and economic stability.
The group strongly criticized the NLC, stating that the union failed to consider the financial struggles of telecom operators and the potential job losses that could occur if the industry collapses due to underfunding.
“NLC’s Protest is Economic Sabotage” – NCWGG
In a scathing remark, NCWGG accused the Labour Congress of failing to analyze the long-term consequences of rejecting the tariff increase.
> “Did the NLC consider the millions of direct and indirect jobs that would be lost if telecom operators could no longer fund their operations? Did they think about what would happen if Nigerians could no longer make calls or use the internet due to a telecom industry shutdown?”
The group went further to label the NLC’s stance as economic sabotage against Nigerians and the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
NCWGG Mobilizing Against NLC’s Protest
In response to the planned February 4 protest, the NCWGG has vowed to mobilize members across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to counter the demonstrations.
> “This tariff adjustment will help strengthen the telecom sector, improve service quality, and ensure the deployment of modern telecom infrastructure.
Without it, the industry may struggle to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for data and communication services.”
What’s Next?
As the February 4 protest date draws closer, tensions between the NLC and pro-tariff hike supporters continue to rise.
Will the Nigerian government intervene, or will the protest go on as planned?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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