Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has unequivocally condemned the recent hike in electricity tariff across the country, by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
“This abrupt hike, which places an unbearable burden on the already strained populace, exacerbating economic hardships and widening the chasm of inequality, is inhuman and evil”, the Caucus said in a statement on Friday, signed by Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Kingsley Chinda.
According to the caucus, such a hike, which is over two hundred percent above the rate of inflation, utterly disregards the plight of ordinary citizens, who are grappling with the adverse effects of the removal of oil subsidy, galloping inflation, unemployment, and inadequate access to basic amenities.
It reads; “We note that in the immediate aftermath of the announcement of the tariff hike, NERC claimed that the hike affects only twelve percent of electricity consumers who enjoy minimum of twenty hours of electricity a day. The truth has become stark that this is stark lie. The hike, from data put out by the DISCOS, affects all electricity consumers. This habitual resorts to deceits and outright lies clearly puts government in bad light and erodes the trust and confidence of the populace in the government.
“The timing of this tariff hike, amidst prevailing economic challenges, is not only insensitive but also detrimental to the well-being of Nigerians. It further highlights the disconnect between policymakers and the realities faced by the masses of our people.
“Elsewhere in the global north, governments are doing all they can to protect citizens against the adverse effects of the pandemic on economies. In the United Kingdom, for example, where anti-subsidy proselytisers preach against subsidies, His Majesty’s Government has “paid almost 40 billion pounds ($50 billion) in energy subsidies since it began to help households and businesses cope with the surge in power bills after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine…
“Also in the United States, the government is subsidising (by way of tax credit) thirty percent off the cost of chargers for electric vehicles.
“Not here in Nigeria where the government spends money on frivolities, with no real economic impacts on households or on the lives of ordinary citizens. Here, the directive principle of state policy is: *GO AND DIE*.
“We urge Mr. President Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on the electricity regulator, NERC, to recind this decision and prioritize the welfare of the people….In solidarity with the Nigerian people, we stand firm in our condemnation of this unjustifiable increase in electricity tariffs and call for immediate action to alleviate the burdens imposed on the populace”.
