Senator representing Borno South and Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has faulted the recent hike in electricity tariff.
The Senate Chief Whip said the timing was wrong as he noted that Nigerians were yet to recover from the removal of fuel subsidy.
Recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had approved an increase of 340% in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.
According to the NERC’s Vice Chairman, Musliu Oseni, Band A customers will begin to pay N225 kilowatt per hour from the current N66.
The Nigeria Labour Congress has since rejected the hike, describing it as a mindless social violence against Nigerians.
Senator Ndume in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja at the weekend, expressed concern that Nigerians were already at the receiving end of removal of fuel subsidy which has instigated hyperinflation, poor purchasing power and insecurity.
The Senate Chief Whip, who declared that the Senate was not consulted before the sudden hike, urged the Federal Government to focus on the provision of stable electricity, reduce inflation, stabilise the naira, reduce food prices, and provide other basic amenities to Nigerians before contemplating an increase in the tariff.
Ndume said: “The news of the increment came to me and many of my colleagues as a shock. It also came at a time when the National Assembly was on a break. Personally, I think the timing of this hike is very wrong. Nigerians are grappling with many challenges.
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“To put this fresh responsibility on them is very unfair. Nigerians are yet to recover from the fuel subsidy removal of last year. Many Nigerians are still grappling with the ripple effects that removal had on them. To now come up with this is wrong.
“I believe that the timing is wrong. There ought to have been some consultations, especially with the National Assembly as representatives of the people. We were not consulted. We saw the news like every other Nigerian.
“The inflation is still very high. The prices of food commodities, drugs, transportation, school fees, and other daily expenditures are still on the high side. To now add this new burden is unfair.
“The minimum wage has not been increased. Many state governments are yet to even pay the current minimum wage of N30,000. How do we expect the people to survive? We’ve to be very realistic and feel the pulse of the people we represent as a government.
“For me, I think the Federal Government should first of all provide stable electricity, reduce the inflation, stabilise the naira, and prices of food commodities. Then, the purchasing power of Nigerians must significantly improve before we can place a fresh responsibility on them as a government.
“The federal government needs to give the National Assembly the opportunity to also step in and consult because we represent the people. We feel their pulse, and we know what they’re going through right now.”
