The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected fresh 50 percent increase in electricity tariff as approved by the Federal Government.
The proposed increase is coming two months after government approved about 60 percent tariff increase in November 2020.
In a statement on Tuesday by the party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP urged the Federal Government to immediately rescind the increase.
The party described the hike in electricity tariff from N2 to N4 per kWhr, as announced by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), as insensitive, anti-people as it would worsen the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians at this time.
According to the PDP, the reasons adduced by NERC was 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.
It urged the government to note that such electricity tariff hike, at this critical time, would exert more pressure on homes and businesses.
The PDP said any fresh increase in tariff would impact negatively on national productivity and make life more unbearable, “particularly at this period of insufferable economic recession”.
It said: “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.
“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.”
The Nation
