President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has slammed the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, over electricity bands and migration structures, as the highest level of 419-styled fraud.
Before being NLC President, Ajaero served for decades in the power industry as General Secretary of the Electricity Workers Union.
Ajaero, being interviewed on a Channels TV programme recently, wondered why some electricity consumers should be in Band A and others in lower bands, saying that the practice was discriminatory and ineffective.
He said the idea of categorizing consumers into different bands, according to service delivered by distribution companies, is the highest form of ‘419’.
During a budget defence session at the National Assembly this week, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, claimed that 90 percent of electricity users in Band A have confirmed that they are getting the benefit of being in Band A. He also said that more customers would be migrated to Band A to enjoy electricity for longer hours.
According to the electricity custodian, Band A are those who enjoy electricity supply for 20 hours per day, Band B a minimum of 16 hours, Band C gets a minimum of 12-hour power supply, Band D a minimum of 8 hours, and Band E a minimum of four hours.
But Ajaero questioned the idea of migrating customers from one band to another.
“Now the ministry is talking about migrating from Band B to Band A, that is the highest level of 419 one can think of.
“Who is in Band A and who is in Band B? Is it based on geographical area that you have Band A or Band B or is it based on the dictates of the provider?
“In countries of the world that are targeting 24 hours power supply, why would somebody be talking about Band A or Band B? How would it happen? So, that idea is concocted to make money unnecessarily and say people are migrated.
“What are the conditions to be on Band A? What are the conditions to be on Band B? Why would you discriminate? Why would you give me Band B and give somebody Band A? So, these are the issues.”
Ajaero also faulted the Federal Government for making provisions for power distribution companies which are supposedly private companies in the 2025 budget.
He said that the money that the government wants to use to improve the power sector should be used for something else while the private-owned power companies should use the money they generate to run their companies.