NLC demands power minister’s resignation over grid collapse
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Nigerian Labour Congress has called for the resignation of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, over the repeated collapse of the national power grid.
In a statement late Tuesday night by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the union expressed deep concern over the worsening state of Nigeria’s electricity sector, which it described as being on the brink of total collapse.
Ajaero said, “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.”
Ajaero also slammed the minister over the proposed allocation of ₦8 billion in the 2025 budget for “sensitisation of Nigerians on the need to pay electricity bills, accusing the Ministry of Power of prioritising frivolous projects over critical infrastructure.
He said, ” The Power sector in Nigeria is at the brink of collapse as the helmsmen have repeatedly shown gross incompetence. It is a sector where the National Electricity Regulatory Commission despite the enormous power invested in it by the Electricity Act of 2023 has continuously demonstrated incapacity to regulate or outrightly refused to discharge its responsibilities to electricity consumers in Nigeria while the Minister in charge is enamoured with seeking about N8bn to teach Nigerians how to pay electricity bill.
“It is therefore not surprising that power grid collapse is now a constant as it has continued to succumb to greed and crass incompetence.”
The NLC president stated that the N8bn was a misplaced priority, especially when contractors in the Transmission Company of Nigeria are owed over ₦200 billion.
He said, “Whereas the Minister seeks N8bn to educate us, contractors in the Transmission Company of Nigeria who help in delivering capacity are owed over N200 billion. If not for the intervention of the Unions in the sector in December 2024, the procurement Committee would have added to this burden by sitting down to award more contracts.”
The union also criticized the National Electricity Regulatory Commission for failing to fulfil its regulatory duties.
According to the NLC president, the commission has demonstrated a lack of capacity and an unwillingness to protect electricity consumers.
He cited a recent incident where NERC allegedly colluded with the board of a distribution company to sack its managing director for exposing unethical practices.
“It is unimaginable that NERC, an organization tasked with ensuring transparency and efficiency, would punish a whistleblower instead of rewarding and protecting them.
“This is a clear indication that NERC is not prepared to discharge its mandate.”
The NLC president noted that the union would continue to monitor developments in the sector and warned against any attempt to use the budget process as a vehicle for wasteful expenditures.
He called on the federal government to urgently reinvigorate the electricity sector to avert total collapse, adding that failure to address these issues would further erode public confidence in governance.
“We will not stand idly by while public funds are wasted in the name of governance.
“Our position is clear: incompetence must not be rewarded, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
