Electricity tariff hike will worsen the suffering of Nigerians, says Atiku
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said that the electricity tariff hike will worsen the suffering of Nigerians as well as negatively impact manufacturing sector.
Atiku said this in a statement personally signed by him at the weekend and made available to Journalists in Abuja.
The increase in electricity tariff, according to the former Vice President, is coming at a time when Nigerian citizens are going through excruciating difficulties occasioned by the withdrawal of subsidy on petroleum and floating of the domestic currency.
He noted that the government has not successfully dealt with the pains associated with the implementation of those measures before the increase in electricity tariff by 300 percent.
Atiku insisted that the hike in electricity tariff will create more difficulties for the citizens as inflationary pressures are elevated
According to the statement by the former Vice President “As usual, the government is unleashing another dose of reforms without adequate notice and without an adequate post-reform plan to mitigate the pain.
“The increase in electricity tariff comes at a time when Nigerian citizens are going through excruciating difficulties occasioned by the withdrawal of subsidy on PMS and floating of the domestic currency.
“The government has not successfully dealt with the pains associated with the implementation of those measures, and now this.
“The hike in electricity tariff will create more difficulties for the citizens as inflationary pressures are elevated. Our manufacturing sector will similarly be impacted negatively.
‘Not only are they paying higher interest rates on their bank loans but also paying more for diesel, paying higher wages as a result of the new minimum wage.
“The President’s men are pushing the economy into a deeper crisis. His reforms are without a human face.
“It is important that we understand the root cause of the inefficiencies in the power sector before unleashing another dose of reforms. It is time to revisit the privatization exercise that produced the DISCOs.
“Tinubu must (a) ensure that these reforms are sequenced, (b) implement measures to mitigate the pain, and (c) hold the NERC responsible for ensuring improved service delivery”, the statement concluded.
