Group demands state of emergency in power sector

A group, under the aegis of the Nigeria Consumer Protection Network has urged President Muhammdu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the power sector, saying Nigerians are paying for darkness.

In a statement, the President of the group, Kayode Olubiyo, lamented that Nigerians had been paying for darkness reflective tariffs or ‘sadness reflective tariffs’ all over the country despite a unilaterally imposed 100 per cent to 120 per cent increase in tariff between August 31, 2020, and this month.

According to him, over three million people in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nasarawa State are helpless and frustrated by the poor performance and exorbitant electricity charges.

He warned that in days to come, there might be protests by electricity consumers to express their anger and frustrations. Olubiyo charged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgent public importance, order the investigation and technical appraisal of the causes of the current load shedding, load drop and incessant interruptions in power supply by electricity distribution companies.