Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has blamed the hike in electricity tariff on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, News About Nigeria reports.
He stated this while speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.
According to him, the Federal Government is working in the interest of the IMF and World Bank, hence the skyrocketing prices of electricity tariff.
He stated that the two agencies have continuously insisted on the removal of subsidies by the federal government including fuel and electricity subsidies, and maintained that this remains the reason why the government is unable to protect the interest of Nigerians.
“The Honourable Minister of Power is acting the script of the IMF and the World Bank.
“Those two agencies insisted and they continue to insist that the government of Nigeria must remove all subsidies. Fuel subsidy, electricity subsidy and what have you; all social services must be commercialised and priced beyond the reach of the majority of Nigerians.
“So, the government cannot afford to protect the interest of Nigerians where you are implementing the neoliberal policies of the Bretton Wood institutions,” falana stated.
He, however, accused Western Countries of being two faced and deceptive, stating that these countries subsidise agriculture, energy, and fuel and also offer grants and loans to indigent students while they advise the Nigerian government against doing the same for its citizens.
Speaking on the hike in electricity tariff, Falana stated that neither the minister nor the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has justified the tariff increase.
He maintained that the Nigerian law gives no room for discrimination against customers by grading them in different bands.
