PDP Rubbishes Electricity Tariff Hike As Anti-People
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the widely condemned hike in electricity tariff, describing it as one of wicked Federal Government policies that will further worsen the living condition of Nigerians in this New Year.
Consequently, the party called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately rescind “the New Year ‘gift’ of hike in electricity tariff as approved by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.”
It describes the 100 percent hike in electricity tariff from N2 to N4 per kWhr, as announced by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), as “insensitive, anti-people and will worsen the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians at this time.”
According to the main opposition party, the reasons presented by “NERC is not enough to warrant such an increase in electricity tariff, especially at the time Nigerians are looking up to government for economic recovery programmes and packages.”
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement that the APC and its government must note “such electricity tariff hike, at this critical time, will bear more pressure on homes and businesses, impact negatively on our national productivity and make life more unbearable, particularly at this period of insufferable economic recession.”
It therefore insisted that: “What our nation needs at this point are positive policies that will encourage Nigerians in their productive endeavours and cushion the hardship they face on daily basis instead of wicked policies that will only worsen their situation.”
Furthermore, the PDP said: “It is imperative for the Federal Government to note that Nigerians are already weighed down by high costs and weak purchasing powers and as such should not be further burdened with high electricity costs.
“Our party therefore asks President Buhari to immediately review the hike and make further consultations on more affordable ways to meet the power need of the nation instead of this resort to tariff hike.”
