The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has expressed dismay over the recent increase in electricity tariffs across the country.
Etim Okon, the National President of ASCSN, voiced his concerns regarding the tariff hike while addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
This increase in electricity tariffs, announced by the Federal Government on April 3, has been criticized by Okon as a “misplacement of priority, anti-people policy, and unacceptable.”
Okon emphasized that raising the tariff from N66/kwh to N225/kwh for consumers receiving 20 hours of electricity daily is unjustifiable and could incite unrest among the populace.
He argued that this move indicates Nigeria’s unpreparedness for providing round-the-clock electricity supply, especially amidst prevailing socioeconomic challenges, stagnant worker salaries, and the recent removal of fuel subsidies.
Furthermore, Okon accused the government of prioritizing revenue generation over the welfare of struggling Nigerians. Despite the government’s promise of improved power supply, Okon urged a reconsideration of the tariff hike and a return to the previous rates to alleviate the burden on citizens.