The Labour Party (LP) has appealed to the Federal Government to rethink its decision to increase the tariff for certain electricity consumers in the country.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs Olubunmi Odesanya, the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the party, voiced her concerns. She characterized the significant tariff increase as unreasonable, stating it would not only impact electricity consumers adversely but also strain the economy.
Odesanya highlighted that Nigerians were already grappling with hardships due to the removal of the fuel subsidy. She warned that the tariff hike would exacerbate their suffering.
She further stated that if there was any justification for a tariff hike, the increase should not exceed 25 per cent.
“Nigerians are enduring hardships daily. This situation is simply untenable. A significant number of Nigerians are suffering,” she said.
She emphasized that the government should remember that people are the foundation of any government and urged them to reconsider the steep increase in electricity tariffs.
Odesanya also called on the government to raise the minimum wage for workers to help them manage the escalating cost of living.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced on April 3 an increase in electricity tariffs for customers who receive a 20-hour power supply daily. This means that customers, classified as Band A electricity consumers, will now pay N225 per kilowatt hour, a significant increase from the previous N66.
Odesanya urged the government to cut the cost of governance to save funds instead of removing subsidies. She insisted that the government must be resolute in its fight against corruption and efforts to alleviate poverty.