The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, on Tuesday, decried the recent hike in electricity tariff by the Federal Government.
According to CACOL, the increase would amount to a corrupt practice to force the tariff increase on people.
“We note that in spite of public outcry against any hike, the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing superintended upon by Mr Babatunde Fashola, former governor of Lagos State, has gone ahead to illegally impose a tariff hike on electricity on Nigerians for services not rendered to them. This is flagrant and audacious corruption in a situation where the Federal Government claims to be fighting against corruption and illegality.
“Mr Babatunde Fashola should be told that the ministry he superintends over is not meant for the kind of antics that he got away with in Lagos State when he was governor,” the Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr Debo Adeniran, said.
According to him, it was the nation’s electricity firms and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that owed Nigerians money and apologies for not rendering adequate services that they received money for and continued to receive money for.
“Therefore, we reject this hike in electricity tariff in totality. We demand that power supply should be made available and accessible to all and a billing system that will be transparent, reasonable and commensurate with consumption should be provided.
“The DISCOs and NERC can take a cue from the telecommunications sector by providing meters; fixing the cobweb-like cables that dangle over the heads of people,” the CACOL boss said.
Adeniran stated further that the demand by the electricity distribution companies for cost reflective tariff so as to remain in business should be placed side by side with effective service delivery, after which the issue of tariff increase can be discussed.
“Until we fix our power sector, all the talk about the industrial revolution plans and creating jobs and wealth for Nigerians, will just be mere talks and a waste of time. All hands must be on deck to make sure Nigerians have stable electricity supply.
“We, therefore, urge the activist community, the masses, the labour movement and all that abhors exploitation and oppression to rise and resist the demonic and unjustifiable hike in electricity tariffs. We must move against the ‘change’ we did not vote for, to protect our being, and the struggle for a humane society,” the statement said.