The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), kicked against the hike in electricity tariffs on Saturday, News About Nigeria reports.
While condemning the increase in the electricity tariff, the senator representing Borno South noted that the timing for the increase was wrong.
According to him, Nigerians who have yet to recover from the impact of the fuel subsidy removal are now being faced with another harsh economic policy.
Speaking extensively on the matter in a statement released today, Ndume called on the federal government to reconsider its position in the interest of Nigerians, adding that Nigerians were already facing many challenges, including unprecedented inflation, poor purchasing power, insecurity, and other hardships.
He further noted that the primary responsibility of the federal government at this time is to provide electricity to Nigerians first, not increase the tariff when the people are not even enjoying a consistent power supply.
The senator also tasked the federal government with focusing on reducing inflation, stabilising the naira, reducing food prices, and providing other basic amenities to Nigerians before increasing the tariff.
Ndume queried why such an important decision was taken without duly consulting the National Assembly as representatives of the people.
In his words, “The news of the increment came to me and many of my colleagues as a shock. It also came at a time when the National Assembly was on a break. I think the timing of this hike is very wrong. Nigerians are grappling with many challenges. To put this fresh responsibility on them is very unfair. Nigerians are yet to recover from the fuel subsidy removal of last year. Many Nigerians are still grappling with the ripple effects that removal had on them. To now come up with this is wrong.
“I believe that the timing is wrong. There ought to have been some consultations, especially with the National Assembly as representatives of the people. We were not consulted. We saw the news like every other Nigerian. The inflation is still very high. The prices of food commodities, drugs, transportation, school fees, and other daily expenditures are still on the high side. To now add this new burden is unfair. For me, I think the Federal Government should first of all provide stable electricity, reduce the inflation, stabilise the naira, and prices of food commodities.”
