Electricity Tariff Hike Insensitive, Inhuman, Evil — Says Reps Minority Caucus
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has condemned the hike in electricity tariff across Nigeria by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The caucus called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on NERC, to rescind this decision and prioritise the welfare of the people.
The Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, stated this in a statement released on Thursday.
NERC had on Wednesday announced the new tariff for electricity customers in Band A from N68 per kilowatt-hour to N225.
Band A customers are offered an average daily electricity supply of 20 hours, although many complain they do not get up to that.
In the statement, Mr Chinda described the hike as “abrupt”, adding that it “places an unbearable burden on the already strained populace, exacerbating economic hardships and widening the chasm of inequality. It is inhuman and evil.”
He said the hike is coming at a time when Nigerians are still grappling with the challenges of fuel subsidy removal.
“Such a hike, which is over two hundred per cent 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.
“We note that in the immediate aftermath of the announcement of the tariff hike, NERC claimed that the hike affects only 12 per cent of electricity consumers who enjoy a minimum of 20 hours of electricity a day,” he said.
The legislator also disagreed with the position of NERC that the hike affects only a certain class of consumers.
Mr Chinda said while the Nigerian government is removing all subsidies, governments of major economies are introducing several forms of subsidies to help their citizens.
“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,” he said.
Mr Chinda did not disclose if the opposition lawmakers are going to take any steps when the National Assembly resumes on 16 April.
The lawmakers have been on Easter and Eid Fitri holidays in the last two weeks.
