HIKE IN ELECTRICITY TARIFF INSENSITIVE, INHUMAN – REPS MINORITY CAUCUS

download 76 2

HIKE IN ELECTRICITY TARIFF INSENSITIVE, INHUMAN – REPS MINORITY CAUCUS

The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives says the hike in electricity tariffs across the country by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is insensitive, inhuman, and uncalled for.

Representative Kingsley Chinda, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

He said such an abrupt hike placed an unbearable burden on the already strained populace, exacerbating economic hardships and widening the chasm of inequality among the citizenry.

“Such a hike, which is over 200 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 subsidies.

He said that the citizenry had been faced with galloping inflation, unemployment, and inadequate access to basic amenities.

*We note that in the immediate aftermath of the announcement of the tariff hike, NERC claimed that the hike affects only 12 percent of electricity consumers who enjoy a minimum of 20 hours of electricity a day.

“The truth has become so stark that this is a stark lie. The hike, according to data put out by the DISCOS, affects all electricity consumers.”

He added that this habitual resort to deceit and outright lies clearly puts the government in a bad light and erodes the trust and confidence of the populace in the government.

He said the timing of the tariff hike, amidst prevailing economic challenges, was not only insensitive but also detrimental to the well-being of Nigerians.

He added that it further highlights the disconnect between policymakers and the realities faced by the masses of people.

He urged President Bola Tinubu to prevail on NERC, to rescind its decision, and to prioritize the welfare of the people.

He said that transparent dialogue and inclusive decision-making processes were imperative to address the root causes of the energy sector’s inefficiencies and ensure sustainable solutions.

This, according to him, is such that it would benefit all stakeholders and not result in a result in a consistent and persistent increase in tariff.

He further called for increased accountability and transparency in the management of resources within the electricity sector.

“Citizens have the right to demand efficient service delivery and fair pricing mechanisms that align with their economic realities.“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,” he said.

  • Dons Eze

    DONS EZE, PhD, Political Philosopher and Journalist of over four decades standing, worked in several newspaper houses across the country, and rose to the positions of Editor and General Manager. A UNESCO Fellow in Journalism, Dr. Dons Eze, a prolific writer and author of many books, attended several courses on Journalism and Communication in both Nigeria and overseas, including a Postgraduate Course on Journalism at Warsaw, Poland; Strategic Communication and Practical Communication Approach at RIPA International, London, the United Kingdom, among others.

    Related Posts

    PETROLEUM SMUGGLING RESPONSIBLE FOR NAIRA INSTABILITY, ECONOMIC WOES – NSA RIBADU

    PETROLEUM SMUGGLING RESPONSIBLE FOR NAIRA INSTABILITY, ECONOMIC WOES – NSA RIBADU The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has raised the alarm over the increasing smuggling of petroleum products out of Nigeria, warning that the instability in the foreign exchange market would persist unless addressed. Speaking in Abuja on Monday at a stakeholder engagement for Operation Whirlwind, organised by the Nigeria Customs Service, Ribadu highlighted the severity of the issue. Ribadu commented, “We have been suffering due to smuggling, and if we want to address our economic problems, smuggling has to stop. It is difficult because it is like cancer and eats up everything. “It destroys us and even our security forces because of the very few individuals making profit from it and half of them are not even Nigerians. “I don’t think there is any country that suffers from smuggling like Nigeria and we have to address it now because with the trouble we are going through, we can’t stabilise Naira and if we can’t stabilise Naira, then we are in trouble.” He assured that his office would support the Customs Service and other security agencies in their efforts to combat the issue. “From May till date, the Customs has made about 27 seizures and detected smuggling networks in Badagry and Adamawa. Other activities have also improved border security and we have succeeded in ensuring fuel smuggling is reduced. “Our collaboration with NMDPRA has also been critical and germane. So far, we have seized 500,000 litres of PMS with 7 trucks amounting to 475m. The seizures were done in Kebbi, Sokoto, Lagos and Adamawa. We have opened other axes in Kwara, Niger, Katsina and Kano. “Because of this work, most of our officers are on death threats including myself and they sent us messages to desist from fighting, but we won’t relent because we ought to fight and ensure survival of Nigeria,” he stated. Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, emphasised the need for continued effort in the fight against smuggling. “We won’t spare any effort in combating the menace and this explains why we launched Operations Whirlwind and we have made some progress. However, we need funding because we spend about N230 million monthly to sustain the operation and because it is not in our budget it is not sustainable and Customs may not be able to drive it alone. “As such, we will need funding collaboration and we intend to sustain it till the end of the year,” he added.

    NAIRA NEARS N2,000 PER DOLLAR

    NAIRA NEARS N2,000 PER DOLLAR The Naira raced to N2,000 per dollar at the black market on Saturday despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s sale of dollars to the Bureau De Change operators. A BDC operator, Dayyabu Ashiru confirmed that Naira was exchanged for N1,670 per dollar on Saturday from the N1665 exchange rate last Friday. “We buy at N1665 per dollar and sell at N1670”, he said. The apex bank announced that it sold $20,000 each to legible BDC operators at N1580 per dollar rate last week. Meanwhile, the Naira appreciated last Friday at the official market to close the week at N1593.32 per dollar exchange rate.

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    FIVE FAVOURITES WHO MAY REPLACE AJURI NGALARE AS TINUBU’S SPOKESMAN

    • By Dons Eze
    • September 11, 2024
    • 56 views

    ENFBAFGOVERNANCE: FG CHARGES ARRESTED PROTESTERS TO COURT

    • By Dons Eze
    • September 11, 2024
    • 26 views

    NIGERIANS CAN NO LONGER BEAR THIS – GANI ADAMS

    • By Dons Eze
    • September 11, 2024
    • 35 views

    HOW INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE LED TO THE RELEASE OF JOE AJAERO

    • By Dons Eze
    • September 11, 2024
    • 38 views

    NLC PRESIDENT, JOE AJAERO, NOT ABOVE LAW, CAN BE INVESTIGATED – PRESIDENCY

    • By Dons Eze
    • September 11, 2024
    • 23 views

    POLL AFTER US PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: HARRIS – 63%; TRUMP – 37%

    • By Dons Eze
    • September 11, 2024
    • 95 views