The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, during a briefing in Abuja on Friday had said the recent increase in electricity tariff was a pilot phasing out of electricity subsidy in the country.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has stated that the recent electricity tariff hike would create more difficulties for Nigerians.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, during a briefing in Abuja on Friday had said the recent increase in electricity tariff was a pilot phasing out of electricity subsidy in the country.
He said the government planned to remove all subsidies in the sector to allow the thriving of investment in the power sector.
However, the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, on Friday in a series of tweets on his X account, faulted the move, saying the hike was without adequate notice.
He explained that while Nigerians were still dealing with the harsh effects of subsidy removal on petrol and floating the naira, the Federal Government still hiked the electricity tariff without considering the plights of the citizens.
Atiku said; “As usual, the government is unleashing another dose of reforms without adequate notice and without an adequate post-reform plan to mitigate the pain.
“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 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."