Electricity Tariff Increase
OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR has expressed concerns over the increase in electricity tariff as announced by Nigerian government, saying insurrection is inevitable if not reversed.
Nigerians have expressed their concerns over the government’s approval conveyed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), of an increase in electricity rates for consumers falling under Band A.
On early hours of Wednesday, Nigerian masses was thrown in to another economic moaning by the announcement of the Vice Chairman of NERC, Musliu Oseni, disclosing the tariff adjustment that raise the rate for customers to N225 per kilowatt hour, up from the existing N66.
Oseni also mentioned that, due to the failure to meet the required electricity supply hours, some customers in Band A have been reclassified to Band C by the commission.
Since the clarification announcement, Nigerians have taken to social media platforms to express their reservations, stating that this hike may exacerbate the already elevated cost of living, poverty and hunger.
In its reaction, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, condemns the FG’s approval of new electricity tariff and fumes at such hike at the time Nigerian masses are struggling to move out of the boiling effects of fuel subsidy removal.
CDHR also maintains that there is no reason for class divisions, everyone deserves 24 hours of electricity supply, like what obtains in less endowed African countries.
In a statement jointly signed by Comrade Debo Adeniran, National President CDHR Nigeria and Comrade Idris Afees Olayinka, National Publicity Secretary CDHR Nigeria, the organisation describes the tariff hike as official extortion.
Although there’s no reason why the people should be pushed so hard by unilateral removal of subsidies on, and force to pay higher for macro economic products like food, energy, fuels and power; they are paying anyway because they think that the government means well and will not curt the people’s insurrection.
However, insurrection may become inevitable if the government becomes oppressively exploitative and gravitates toward tyranny.
The over 300% increasing electricity will finally electrocute human lives and businesses in the country, and CDHR however demands immediate reversal of this anti people’s policy or face mass action.
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