The Executive Director of the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, has warned of economic consequences and likely revolt over planned electricity tariff and fuel price hike amidst the socio-economic challenges facing Nigerians.
Zikirullahi, in a statement Friday, said that claims and counter-claims regarding the alleged plans to increase the price of petrol and electricity tariff were worrisome and unacceptable.
He said the controversy coming after the World Bank made calls on the two issues indicated the federal government’s disdain for Nigerians.
According to him, despite statements by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) denying any such plans, it was evident that there was more to the controversy than met the eye.
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He said, “As the saying goes, ‘There is no smoke without fire’. The never-ending back and forth over hikes in the prices of fuel and other key social services lends credence to assumptions in many quarters that the government is merely using these controversies to test the resolve of Nigerians and see if they can be pushed beyond their limits.
“It is important to remember that in December, the Chief Economist of the World Bank stated that the current price of PMS does not accurately reflect its true cost, and that it would need to be sold at N750 or higher to reflect its actual value.
“The government does not even mind whether the citizens bleed to death. It is truly disheartening and unfortunate that while millions of Nigerians are still grappling with severe economic challenges caused by the government’s insensitive policies, all the government can think about is how to impose more hardships.”
He further said the people were now facing the threat of additional harsh policies in the New Year despite President Bola Tinubu’s empty talk of empathy and claims that he understood the pains of the people.
