- Atiku, Northern Elders Kick, Say It Will Further Impoverish Nigerians
- Say Hike Will Create More Difficulties For Citizens, Inflationary Pressures Will Be Elevated
- Power Minister Berates Nigerians For Poor Energy Consumption
- Says Federal Government Can’t Afford To Continue To Subsidise Electricity
The decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to increase the electricity tariff of some categories of customers have continued to draw condemnation from different quarters as the opposition to the policy keeps mounting each day.
The Matrix reports that the government through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) recently approved an increased tariff cost for Band A users less than a year after the country removed subsidy on petroleum.
The commission said customers who receive 20 hours of electricity supply daily will pay N225 per kilowatt (kW) from April 3 up from the N66 previously being paid.
The new rate, which is about triple the current rate of N66 per kilowatt (kW), comes amid a pervasive economic hardship and galloping inflation across the country.
The nation’s inflation rate rose to 31.7 percent in February, up from 29.9 percent in January.
Reacting to the increase in a statement issued on Friday, former vice President, Atiku Abubakar said there was no consultation by the government before the electricity tariff was increased.
He lamented that the policy lacks human face and is coming at a time Nigerians are yet to recover from the hardship caused by fuel subsidy removal and floating of the naira.
“As usual, the government is unleashing another dose of reforms without adequate notice and without an adequate post-reform plan to mitigate the pain”.
“The increase in electricity tariff comes at a time when Nigerian citizens are going through excruciating difficulties occasioned by the withdrawal of subsidy on PMS and floating of the domestic currency.
“The government has not successfully dealt with the pains associated with the implementation of those measures, and now this.
“The hike in electricity tariff will create more difficulties for the citizens as inflationary pressures are elevated.
“Our manufacturing sector will similarly be impacted negatively. Not only are they paying higher interest rates on their bank loans but also paying more for diesel, paying higher wages as a result of the new minimum wage.”
Abubakar added that Tinubu’s government is “pushing the economy into a deeper crisis”.
“His reforms are without a human face,” he said.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections said the government should investigate the “root cause” of the inefficiencies in the power sector before “unleashing another dose of reforms”.
Abubakar called for the review of the privatisation exercise that produced the electricity distribution companies (DISCOs).
He said Tinubu should ensure that the power sector revitalisation is sequenced adding that there must be measures to mitigate the pain occasioned by the reforms while NERC must improve service delivery.
Similarly, the Northern Elders Forum has kicked against the policy saying the tariff increase is a reckless move and a complete disregard for the well-being and welfare of the Nigerian people.
In a statement by its spokesman, Abdul- Azeez Suleiman, the Northern Elders Forum, noted that the drastic increase in electricity tariff will have a significant negative impact on the already struggling population, further exacerbating the gap between the rich and the poor.
They called on the Federal Government to immediately reconsider what they referred to as ill-conceived decision and consider the dire economic situation faced by the majority of Nigerians.
“The decision to implement these tariffs without considering the impact on the average citizen is not only callous but also short-sighted. The resulting consequences could potentially lead to internal security threats as the disparity between the haves and the have-nots becomes more pronounced.
“The NEF strongly believes that this decision was made without carefully considering the economic realities faced by the majority of Nigerians and it highlights the government’s lack of empathy towards its citizens.
“Instead of implementing policies that would alleviate the suffering of the people, the government has chosen to further exploit them. This introduction of exorbitant electricity tariffs is not only unjust but also a clear indication of the disconnect between the government and the people they are meant to serve.
“It is a blatant display of the government’s blatant disregard for the well-being of its citizens and a betrayal of the trust placed in them.
“The NEF calls on the government to immediately reconsider this ill-conceived decision and take into account the dire economic situation faced by the majority of Nigerians.
“Nigerians must now rise up and demand accountability from their leaders, reminding them that their primary duty is to serve the people, not exploit them for personal gain”.
These exorbitant amounts are simply unaffordable for the majority of Nigerians, who are already grappling with economic hardship and trying to make ends meet.
“By implementing such exorbitant electricity tariffs, the government is effectively perpetuating a form of economic oppression that will only serve to widen the gap between the rich and the poor in Nigeria. It is imperative that this act of exploitation be firmly rejected and not be allowed to stand unchallenged.
“The decision to implement these tariffs without considering the impact on the average citizen is not only callous but also short-sighted. The resulting consequences could potentially lead to internal security threats as the disparity between the haves and the have-nots becomes more pronounced.
“The NEF strongly believes that this decision was made without carefully considering the economic realities faced by the majority of Nigerians and it highlights the government’s lack of empathy towards its citizens.
“Instead of implementing policies that would alleviate the suffering of the people, the government has chosen to further exploit them. This introduction of exorbitant electricity tariffs is not only unjust but also a clear indication of the disconnect between the government and the people they are meant to serve.
“It is a blatant display of the government’s blatant disregard for the well-being of its citizens and a betrayal of the trust placed in them.
“The NEF calls on the government to immediately reconsider this ill-conceived decision and take into account the dire economic situation faced by the majority of Nigerians.
“Nigerians must now rise up and demand accountability from their leaders, reminding them that their primary duty is to serve the people, not exploit them for personal gain”.
But the Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu who recently hinted about the Federal Government’s push to stop electricity subsidy said the hike won’t affect the majority of Nigerians.
“From the policy formulation perspective, the recent increase in tariff for only Band A customers which is just 15 per cent of electricity consumers in Nigeria. As of the latest statistics, there are a little about 12 million customers in the sector and this [tariff hike] would only affect about 1.5 million customers,” he said.
“The remaining 10.5 million customers will continue to enjoy the government’s subsidy at about 70 per cent.”
“The government is so sensitive to the pains of the people; to the sufferings of the people and we are not ready to aggravate this suffering any longer which is why we said it must be a journey rather than a destination,” the minister said.
“And the journey starts now. That we should do a gradual migration from the subsidy regime to a full cost-reflective regime and we must start with some customers.”
He, however, called on players in the power sector to give value to electricity consumers.
“Whatever consumers pay for, there must be commensurate value for it,” Adelabu said.
