By John Dike, Osogbo
Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) has urged the Federal Government to sustain recent improvements in electricity supply across the country, while calling for measures to ensure that electricity remains affordable to ordinary Nigerians.
It made the call in an Independence Day statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Dr. Waheed Lawal, to commemorate Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on Thursday.
To it, Nigeria’s independence should mean more than political freedom, stressing that it must also translate into economic dignity, social development, improved living conditions and access to essential services for citizens.
The coalition acknowledged what it described as reported improvements in electricity supply in Osun State and other parts of the country, commending the Federal Government and the Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, for the development.
It, however, urged the government to sustain and consolidate the improvements, noting that reliable electricity would have limited impact on citizens if the service became unaffordable.
The coalition particularly expressed concern over the proposed phase-out of electricity subsidy from 2027, arguing that the burden of addressing the financial and structural challenges in the power sector should not be transferred disproportionately to struggling households and businesses.
According to the OCSC, millions of Nigerians are already contending with rising costs of food, transportation, housing and business operations, warning that any substantial increase in electricity tariffs could further worsen the economic pressure on citizens.
It said higher electricity costs could increase production expenses, weaken small and medium-sized businesses, reduce disposable income and potentially affect employment and economic growth.
The coalition stressed that electricity should not be treated as a luxury, describing it as fundamental to education, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, commerce, telecommunications and the operations of small businesses.
Call for Comprehensive Power Sector Reform
Rather than relying principally on subsidy removal to address challenges in the electricity sector, the OCSC called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to tackle what it described as the underlying structural problems affecting the sector.
It identified technical and commercial losses, electricity theft and energy diversion, inadequate generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, insufficient metering, estimated billing, inefficiencies across the electricity value chain, revenue leakages and collection challenges as some of the issues requiring urgent attention
.
The coalition also called for greater transparency and public accountability concerning the financial basis of the proposed subsidy phase-out.
It said Nigerians deserved clear and accessible information on the actual annual cost of the existing electricity subsidy, projected financial savings expected from its removal and the anticipated impact on electricity tariffs.
The OCSC further demanded information on how the policy would affect households, farmers, manufacturers, traders and other businesses, as well as the measures being proposed to protect vulnerable consumers.
According to the coalition, public policies affecting essential services on such a large scale should be based on credible data, transparency, consultation and a clear assessment of their social and economic consequences.
‘Independence Must Translate to Better Living’
Reflecting on Nigeria’s 66 years as an independent nation, the OCSC said political independence should continually be translated into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
It said Nigerians deserved a country where political freedom was matched by economic opportunities, affordable essential services, decent livelihoods and living standards that reflected the dignity of every citizen.
The coalition therefore commended the reported improvement in electricity supply while urging the government to deepen the gains and ensure that increased reliability was accompanied by affordability, transparency, accountability and sustainability.
“Nigeria deserves electricity that is reliable, sustainable and affordable,” the coalition said.
It congratulated Nigerians on the 66th Independence Anniversary and wished the Federal Republic of Nigeria continued progress.
