The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has strongly disagreed with the recent decision made by the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to increase electricity prices across Nigeria.
According to the Northern Elders, the move is careless and shows no concern for the well-being of Nigerians.
NEF spokesperson Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, who made the position known in a statement, said the sudden rise in electricity costs will hit already struggling people hard, making the gap between the rich and the poor even wider.
They, therefore, urged the government to rethink this decision, considering the tough economic times most Nigerians are facing.
They express deep concern that under the new plan, a day’s worth of electricity would cost a whopping N5,400, adding up to an unmanageable N162,000 monthly and N1,971,000 yearly.
NEF believes such high tariffs will only deepen the suffering of Nigerians who are already struggling to make ends meet.
The statement reads in part: “Instead of implementing policies that would alleviate the suffering of the people, the government has chosen to further exploit them. This introduction of exorbitant electricity tariffs is not only unjust but also a clear indication of the disconnect between the government and the people they are meant to serve.
“It is a blatant display of the government’s blatant disregard for the well-being of its citizens and a betrayal of the trust placed in them.
“The NEF calls on the government to immediately reconsider this ill-conceived decision and take into account the dire economic situation faced by the majority of Nigerians.
“Nigerians must now rise up and demand accountability from their leaders, reminding them that their primary duty is to serve the people, not exploit them for personal gain.”
The group’s reaction follows the announcement by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) raising electricity tariffs for Band A customers, who get 20 hours of electricity daily.
This decision was announced during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday by Musliu Oseni, the Vice Chairman of NERC.
According to Oseni, customers in this category, who receive 20 hours of electricity daily, will now pay N225 per kilowatt-hour, up from the current N66.
He noted that these customers make up 15 percent of the country’s 12 million electricity consumers.
Additionally, he said some customers in Band A will be downgraded to Band B due to the failure of electricity distribution companies to meet the required hours of supply.
The commission, Oseni said, aims to reduce the number of Band A feeders from 800 to under 500, affecting only 17 percent of total electricity customers.
