New Telegraph

PDP to FG: Nigerians can’t afford new fuel, electricity price regimes

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told the Federal Government that Nigerians cannot afford the new fuel and electricity price regimes that came into effect last week.

 

The party in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the attempt by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to justify the excessive hike as an affront to the Nigerian citizenry, who have already rejected the increases PDP noted that the cost of fuel rose from N87 per liter when it was in government, to N162 while electricity tariff increased from N30.23 per kwh to over N66kw/h.

 

It stated that given the level of poverty the administration had already foisted on the nation, it would be difficult for Nigerians  to survive the hike in the cost of fuel and electricity

 

“Our party stands with Nigerians in insisting that there is no way our compatriots can survive a N162 per liter fuel price and a N66 per kw/h of electricity in a country which, in the last five years, ranked as poverty capital of the world, with a frightening 23 percent unemployment rate; where over 90 million citizens live in abject poverty and many more living on less than N500 a day.

 

“Indeed, we find it very inconceivable that after the Federal Government, through the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, confirmed that 90 million Nigerians are living in poverty, it still went ahead to increase the cost of essential commodities that drive our economy.

 

“Nigerians are already in trepidation that the excruciating price increase is a sudden death sentence on many citizens, particularly those living below poverty line, as they cannot survive under a worsened economic situation.

 

“Moreover, with a N30,000 federal monthly minimum wage, which represents a N1,000 ($2.1) daily wage, there is no way an average Nigerian can survive under the excessive fuel and electricity hike, with attendant increases in transportation and other operational costs, which will leave most citizens with nothing for food, medicines, house rents and other basic necessities of life,” PDP said.

 

The party told President Muhammadu Buhari that the hike would worsen the scary situation in the last five years, where Nigerians are resorting to suicide, slavery mission abroad as well as selling of their children as options.

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