Please Mr. President Stop Overstretching  Nigerians

Please Mr. President Stop Overstretching  Nigerians

Abba Dukawa

it’s no longer a news federal government has increase electricity tariff from N66 to N225 for the various distribution companies (DisCos) in the country. NERC emphasised the increase in tariff will only affect customers enjoying 20 hour power supply and above across the country. The commission added that other customers in Bands B, C, D and E who consume less than less than 20 hours per day are not affected by the increase. NERC playing with sensibility of Nigerians the increased is across Bands. 

The decision to place Nigerians in different electricity bands is a clear case of discrimination. It is unfair and unjust to charge some citizens more for a basic service that should be equally accessible to all. The government’s justification for the increase, which includes the need to improve the electricity infrastructure and ensure a reliable supply, is understandable.

However, the timing and the manner in which it has been implemented are highly condemnable. At least the government should have taken a more holistic approach, addressing the underlying issues in the sector.

Since May 29, President Tinubu has removed petrol subsidy leading to petrol price rising from N195 to N617. Naira has been devalued this combined effect of the policies has dragging citizens to unbearable hardship with prices of commodities increasing by over 300 percent beyond their earnings. Within 11 months of the administration policies suffocating the poor citizens while the rich continue to smile to the bank.

I am firce critic of the past administration for badly managing country’s economy. Leaving behind a chaotic foreign exchange system, a weak national currency, and a compromised and politicized Central Bank. The country faces various forms of insecurity manifested after acclaimed technically defeated Boko Haram but other form of insecurity overwhelmed the administration security apparatus to curtail it and the insecurity becomes a billion of naira enterprises as the kidnappers heartless extorting millions from family and relatives of the captives victims as a ransom.

Since the administration assumed the leadership concerned Nigerians knocked the government for being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians who are still grappling with the economical impact of petrol subsidy removal and the collapse of the foreign exchange windows, and now electricity tariff hake these three policies have resulted in unprecedented high cost of living.

Either silently or openly concerned Nigerians doubtful if the current administration understanding dark cloud in the sky courtesy of it’s overstretched the patient of the citizens by imposing further strangulating measures on them this not only threaten system, may also lead to a public anger against harsh policies that have reduced citizens into beggars and now depend on palliatives for survival.

Within 11 months million families have been dehumanised by the economic hardship, as the administration’s Renewed Hope is increasingly turning into Renewed Frustration for citizens. It has became clear that the duty of every administration was to improve the well-being ,security and economic prosperity of the country.

With recent woes of the deteriorating state of the economy and rising cases of insecurity across the country will not subside until President comes up with urgent remedial measures to dealt with the situation not as its predecessor badly manage the situation.

I am not intend to write anything that may sound inciting a violence or cause civil disobedience but it is a gospel truth to the leaders.

The citizens are caught in a vicious cycle battling for survival, and trapped in a never-ending struggle to make ends meet. Some of the administration policies only exacerbate the already-existing inequality in the country, which could lead to social unrest and political instability. Recently Nigerians witnessed incidences of looting of warehouses and trucks carrying food supplies across the country. I was told that most rice processing mills in Kano resorted of supply they products at very odd hours when the there is no people’s and other road user in the night to avoid being attack by angry and hungry peoples.

From all indication the administration can tackle cost of living as it’s does against free failing naira at the black market such looting incidences is a stark warning about the potential anarchy if urgent action is not taken to address the growing anger by the majority of Nigerians affecting in vicious hardship.

Let not forget; the government’s decision to increase electricity tariff at this time is insensitive and detrimental to the well-being of the Nigerian people. Because the tariff hike will mostly affect manufacturing industries whose locations are granted concession of having electricity supply for 20hrs per day. Therefore the industries affected will have no option than to build the hike in electricity tariff into the landing cost of commodities.