Labour Party has decried the intention by the Federal Government to increase in the electricity tariff recently announced by the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.
The minister had announced the proposed plan at a pressing briefing in Abuja, stating that the electricity tariff would be increased to enhance power supply.
Also the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission last week stated that the Commission would soon release the tariff review on electricity.
But Labour Party in statement made available to the media yesterday by the National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam stated that such increase was not necessary as it would decrease the spending power of Nigerians.
Also he called on the federal government to declare war on the power sector as the use of generating plants have increased the consumption of fuel.
He said, “Declared an emergency in the power sector as the level of fuel consumption in the country today has further been worsened by government’s inefficient power generation and distribution flow which compels the average Nigerian buy fuel to power their small and big generators.
“We therefore advice a reappraisal of the sector immediately in regard to international best practice. The most unfortunate thing that can happen to Nigerians at this point and time is to increase poverty and decrease the power of spending of the people by increasing electricity tariff in the midst of a failing economy”.
Condemning also the seven months administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, the LP said, “We are equally appalled at the seemingly occurring and re-occuring pattern of disillusion experienced by the vast majority of Nigerians based on the spate of violence in the land, armed robbery, kidnapping, killings proclamations of public disorderliness on simple peaceful protest and order of arrest, which has led to fear an intimidation with breakdown of law and order.
“This is worsened by government’s interference and apparant disregard and disrespect for constituted judicial authorities thus leading to judicial encumberances laced in fear and favour.
“Of a truth, hunger and poverty based on the apparent lull in the economy, high inflationary rate, high consumer price index, falling share index. Low
FDI, deliberate weakening of the naira and government’s seemingly constructive but disconnecting approach to the various issues crippling the economy has grossly affected the people’s confidence, therefore eroding public trust and created a state of hopelessness in the Nigerian people”.
The party therefore charged that the Buhari administration should as a mattert of emergency, effectively capture the Nigerian mood as at today and among other things draw up a blue print for security of lives and peace that is all evolving and public engaging.