Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has faulted the hike in electricity tariff in the country, saying the government is unleashing another dose of reforms without adequate notice and without an adequate post-reform plan to mitigate the pain.
Atiku said like the removal of petrol subsidy and floating of the naira, President Bola Tinubu’s reforms lack a “human face”.
Recall that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) recently ordered the immediate upward review of electricity tariffs from Wednesday, April 3.
The tariff increment is from N68 kilowatt hour (kwh) to N225 kwh.
The tariff hike is said to be only for customers on Band A, who enjoy 20 hours power supply daily.
However, many prominent Nigerians, civil society organisations and labour unions have condemned the hike, warning of dire consequences for the economy.
in an X post on Friday, Atiku also weighed in on the matter.
“As usual, the government is unleashing another dose of reforms without adequate notice and without an adequate post-reform plan to mitigate the pain,” he said.
He said the increase in electricity tariff comes at a time when Nigerian citizens are going through excruciating difficulties occasioned by the withdrawal of subsidy on PMS and floating of the domestic currency.
“The government has not successfully dealt with the pains associated with the implementation of those measures, and now this,” the 2023 presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said.
Atiku warned that the hike in electricity tariff will create more difficulties for the citizens as inflationary pressures are elevated.
“Our manufacturing sector will similarly be impacted negatively. Not only are they paying higher interest rates on their bank loans but also paying more for diesel, paying higher wages as a result of the new minimum wage.
“The president’s men are pushing the economy into a deeper crisis. His reforms are without a human face.
“It is important that we understand the root cause of the inefficiencies in the power sector before unleashing another dose of reforms. It is time to revisit the privatization exercise that produced the DISCOs.
“Tinubu must (a) ensure that these reforms are sequenced, (b) implement measures to mitigate the pain, and (c) hold the NERC responsible for ensuring improved service delivery.