The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, and the major opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP have criticized the Federal government over what it termed “astronomical rise” in the tariffs payable for electricity supply across the country.
HURIWA, a frontline rights advocacy and the PDP in separate statements claimed the increment was working against the interest of the people.
According to HURIWA the Buhari-led government was working “day and night” to unleash devastating economic strangulation through unsustainable reviewed electricity power tariffs on Nigerians most of whom are unemployed, hungry, sick and poor.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, the rights group warned that the multiplier effect would be felt immediately due to spike in the costs of living.
The group said the focus of the Federal government in the beginning phase of the year should not be to impose grave hardship on the populace just coming out of the seasonal festivity of Christmas and New Year but any good government should be more focused on how quality education can be delivered to millions of the children of Nigerian suffering families that would be returning to schools in the next few days.
“President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration should be focused on restoring security of lives and property which is the primary duty of government and for which it has failed to discharge instead of rushing to introduce the wicked policy of Electricity power hike in January of a fresh DECADE.” HURIWA stated.
HURIWA recalled that the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) have the mandate of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to effect the tariff increase from April just as these are as follows: Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Kano Electricity Distribution Company, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company and Yola Electricity Distribution Company.
HURIWA specifically gathered that consequent upon the NERC directive, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) residential customers R3 will now pay N47.09 per unit as against the current N27.20, while Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) customers in R3 category will pay N36.92 per unit instead of N26.50. Commercial customers C3 category will start paying N38.14 per unit instead of N24.63 and industrial customers of the IKEDC D3 category who are currently paying N25.82 per unit will henceforth pay N35.85 per unit.
HURIWA recalled that by the hike, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company residential (R3) customers who currently pay N27.11 per unit will start paying N48.12 per unit just as the National Electricity Regulatory Commission said the order was pursuant to Section 32 and 76 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act aimed at providing a cost reflective tariffs that ensures prices charged by licensees are fair to consumers.
“HURIWA believes that the import of any public policy must be grounded on the utilitarian satisfaction of the greatest percentage of the population of the good people of Nigeria. Any public policy churned out specifically to enrich some privileged elitist class to the detriment of millions of the good people of Nigeria hasn’t met the constitutional threshold because of the centrality of the need for all government’s actions, policies and projects to be people centred and to benefit public good. The astronomical hike in the purchasing prices of the virtually non available and the erratic electricity power to less than 40% of the Nigerian population is directly offensive to the overall public good. In section 14 of the Nigerian Constitution the Federal Republic of Nigeria is legally created to be patterned as a State based on the Principles of democracy and Social Justice. Subsection 2(a) of section 14 provides that ‘Sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this constitution derives all its powers and authority. Just as subsection 2(b) of section 14 states that ‘the security and WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE SHALL BE THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT.
Similarly, a statement by PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan describing the policy as “draconian”, on Sunday charged the Federal Government to immediately rescind the obnoxious and provocative policy and consult further with Nigerians before any such tariff hike.
PDP described the increase in electricity tariff as a furtherance of the fleecing of Nigerians, who are already overburdened and groaning under the weight of high costs, economic repression and heavy taxes foisted by the insensitive APC administration.
The statement reads: “It is lamentable that Nigerians, who are already suffering the devastating negative impact of the recent increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5 percent to 7.5 by the APC administration, are now being further suppressed with increased electricity tariff.
“Our party holds that the increase in electricity tariff, under the prevailing harsh economic conditions, is injurious to the wellbeing of Nigerians as it will further stress the productive sector and lead to an upsurge in the cost of regular and essential goods and services, including food, medicine, housing, education and other critical needs.
“This APC policy, if allowed, will worsen the suffering of Nigerians as it will put more stress on already overburdened families, cripple businesses, result in job losses and exacerbate the prevailing frightening unemployment rate under the Buhari administration.
“Moreover, the PDP invites Nigerians to note that this toxic and distasteful “new year gift” by the APC administration, at a time Nigerians are coming back from yuletide festivities, shows that the APC is indeed unfeeling, insensitive and have no iota of regard for the
sensibilities and wellbeing of our citizens.”
PDP insisted that any administration that has the interest of the people at heart should provide alternatives or hold consultations with the people before imposing such harsh tariff on its citizenry.
The party therefore urged the “National Assembly to rescue Nigerians from such draconian policy by deploying its statutory legislative instruments to call the Federal Government to order in the interest of our nation.”