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•Group blasts Tinubu, calls on CSOs to intervene
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna and Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has described the over 200 percent increase in electricity tariff as reckless and without due regard for the well-being and welfare of the people that voted the government into power.
The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had, during the week, approved an increase of 340 percent in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.
According to the NERC’s Vice Chairman, Musliu Oseni, Band A customers, who enjoy 20 hours of electricity supply daily, would pay N225 kilowatt per hour from the current N66.
Customers under the classification represents 15 percent of the 12 million electricity customers in Nigeria.
The NERC vice chairman, however, clarified that the review would not affect customers on the other bands.
In a statement, yesterday, NEF’s spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said the hike was too much to bear by the majority of Nigerians, who are already grappling with the economic hardship, and trying to make ends meet.
“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 to exploit them for personal gain.”
NEF noted that by implementing such exorbitant electricity tariffs, government was perpetuating a form of economic oppression that would only serve to widen the gap between the rich and the poor in the society.
“The Forum wishes to express its deep concern and disappointment over the recent decision by the Tinubu government to sharply increase the electricity tariffs in Nigeria. This reckless move displays a complete disregard for the well-being and welfare of the Nigerian people.
“The NEF recognises that this drastic increase in electricity tariffs will have a significant negative impact on the already struggling population, further exacerbating the gap between the rich and the poor. The breakdown of the new tariffs revealed an alarming burden that the average Nigerian will face in affording electricity on a daily basis.
“Under the new tariff plan, 24 hours of electricity per day will cost a staggering N5,400, amounting to an unbearable monthly total of N162,000 and an astounding yearly total of N1,971,000. These exorbitant amounts are simply unaffordable for the majority of Nigerians, who are already grappling with the 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 resultant consequences could potentially lead to internal security threats as the disparity between the haves and the have-nots become 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.
“The introduction of this 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 statement said.
Reacting, the Southern Nigerian People’s Mandate (SNPM) said the electricity hike would add to the already scorching hardship and suffering being passed through by Nigerians.
A statement by its President of SNPM, Mr. Augustine Chukwudum, claimed that the Bola Tinubu’s 11-month administration has been anti-masses as many policies and programmes so far tend to be hard on the masses, where hunger and starvation have been the order of the day.
He called on the president to call the NERC boss to cancel the hike and revert to the old tariff to allow the poor Nigerians breath.
The reason for the increase in the tariff, which is not acceptable to suffering masses who are struggling to get a meal a day, according to the NERC, is because of the high cost of diesel and the skyrocketing US dollar to the Naira exchange rate. As far as Nigerians are concerned, it is not their fault that Dollar has been exchanged for N1200 to N1300; it is not the masses that devalued the Naira.
“The SNPM has been clamouring for President Tinubu to strengthen our currency by reducing it to N200 to one dollar and further reduce it to N100 to one dollar by September 2024, but Mr President has ignored our clarion calls to do the right thing by reducing our suffering. Instead, the administration is busy doing everything possible to make sure that the suffering is getting harder daily.
“It is because our National Assembly members have been pocketed by the President, whose agenda is to make sure that the suffering masses of Nigeria do not survive.
“This government is not interested in the cry of the suffering and dying masses of Nigeria
“We, hereby, call on President Tinubu to stop the NERC, with immediate effect, from going ahead with the tariff hike because Nigerians are finding it difficult to eat once a day.
“The SNPM, hereby, calls on the civil society to wake up so that we join hands to checkmate this administration of President Tinubu that doesn’t have human sympathy, because we don’t have representative who will checkmate the government’s bad policy apart from us; that’s why we are calling on the civil society to wakeup,” Chukwudum stated.
