Body condemns electricity tariff, fuel price increase

A group, Global Society for Anti-Corruption (GSAC), yesterday condemned Federal Government’s decision to increase electricity tariff and price of fuel.

According to GSAC, the increase has since inflicted greater economic hardship on already struggling Nigerians. The group lamented that the Federal Government chose to make life more difficult for the people when many countries are introducing policies that could ameliorate the hardship posed by COVID-19 to their citizens.

Country Programme Director of GSAC, Mrs. Amaka Nweke, stressed that the development was the third since the outbreak of the disease. She said: “The first was VAT (Value Added Tax), which was increased from five percent to 7.5 percent. It was followed by the first increase in the price of fuel and another one now; then the electricity tariff. These things are heavy on the people if you remember that companies are folding up and that the country’s economy is also plunging.

“Many people have been thrown out of jobs. Even those with a supposed employment have got little or no pay since the lockdown

“There is a hike in food prices due to poor economy. At this level, one will begin to wonder what the government has for him and what he has benefited from his government in this period of COVID-19.”

The group called on the Federal Government to protect life and property as criminals could take advantage of the hardship in the country to attack people and disposes them of their valuables.

Nweke said: “The Global Society for Anti Corruption encourages all Nigerians not to be docile in the face of this insensitivity and to speak out against this fuel price increase.

“In the face of a pandemic, and lockdown, we have had increase in Value Added Taxes (VAT) and electricity tariff. This is too much. We demand immediate reversal of the pump price and the electricity tariff. We will liaise with concerned civil societies and peacefully voice our dissatisfaction to the concerned authorities.”