CDWR Supports NLC-Led Protest Rally Against 50% Hike in Telecommunication Tariff

CDWR SUPPORTS NLC-LED PROTEST RALLY AGAINST 50% HIKE IN TELECOMMUNICATION TARIFF

CDWR CALLS ON NLC TO LEAD A DETERMINED MASS RESISTANCE AGAINST ALL ANTI-POOR POLICIES

Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) condemns the recent approval of 50% tariff hike in telecommunication services by the Nigerian Communications Commissions (NCC). This outrageous hike in telecoms tariff will worsen the already high cost of living and increase cost of doing business; thereby compounding the economic hardship faced by workers and the masses. It is for this reason, the CDWR is in support of the protest rally called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and scheduled to take place on Tuesday January 4, 2025.

The telecom operators and NCC have argued that operating cost has increased and has made hike in telecom tariff inevitable. Telecom operators cited hike in the prices of petroleum products, devaluation of the Naira, hike in electricity tariff etc. Unfortunately, the telecom big companies like other big business capitalist supported President Tinubu anti-poor policies or did not oppose it but now use it as the justification for the increase in tariff, Considering the damaging effect of these neo-liberal policies, the reasonable thing to do is for the Tinubu-led government to reverse these policies. Rather than doing this the government and its private sector big business collaborators are hiking tariff, passing on the burden to the working masses and inflicting more hardship on the working masses.

It is not shocking that government granted every request of big businesses and IMF/World Bank to hike tariffs and prices for the purpose of guaranteeing huge profits for the privileged few at the expenses of the masses. This is so because it is a government run by big businesses, imperialism and their agents. Tinubu government’s consolidation on the neoliberal programme through hike in prices of petroleum products and electricity as well as the devaluation of Naira made the cost of living, production and services spiralling out of control, drove inflation to a new high and imposed an unprecedented hardship in the land.

The reason the Tinubu-led government and the private sector are emboldened to impose more hardship on the masses is because of the failure of the leadership of the trade unions to put up a resistance fight against anti-poor policies. The NLC leadership has failed to sustain resistance struggle in the past despite voicing an opposition to some of the anti-poor policies. Indeed, together with the TUC leadership, they practically did little or nothing to resist the petrol subsidy removal and the devaluation of the naira. It is not possible for the NLC to successfully fight the telecom 50% tariff hike without waging a determined struggle to reverse electricity tariff hike, hike in prices of petroleum products, increase in school fees etc. Hence, the NLC leadership should dedicate itself to leading a sustained resistance struggle against all anti-poor policies.

It is not enough to embark on a-day rallies across the country and go to sleep. For instance, the NLC and TUC leadership were opposed to electricity tariff hike but failed to resist it. The leadership of the NLC and TUC must change from its present lacklustre attitude towards struggle that defends the interest of the working people and wage a relentless and sustained mass struggle against all anti-poor neo-liberal policies including well-mobilised general strikes and mass protest. NLC and TUC leadership, workers and the poor masses should demand the nationalisation of the commanding heights of the economy and placed under democratic control and management of workers and community people. This is in order to make possible a judicious and efficient use of the collective wealth of the country for the interest of the vast majority.

SIGNED:

Comrade Chinedu Bosah
National Publicity Secretary