Pro-Buhari group kicks against high electricity tariffs

The Buharism Movement, a President Muhammadu Buhari support group, has condemned the high electricity tariffs by the Power Distribution Companies, DISCOS in the country.

Mrs Jessica Kuraun, in a press statement she issued on behalf of the group on Thursday, urged the President to swing into action and reverse the hike in the tariffs, to save small businesses and save the economy from a recession.

She called on the President to act swiftly in crashing the hike, so as to give a majority of Nigerians relief from the difficulties following the increase in tariffs.

According to her, “Though we are in full support of the President, we are going through the same pain, like every other Nigerian, as a result of these insensitive and very high electricity tariffs”.

The former member of Buhari Presidential Campaign Council warned that the high tariffs, will spell doom for the economy, and worsen poverty in the country, as small businesses will not be able to cope, and thereby cave in.

According to her, considering that the COVID-19 pandemic has already taken a toll on businesses, higher electricity tariffs, plus an upward review of petroleum products prices, will have a devastating effect on the micro-economy.

“Though the administration has done a lot in the area of providing soft loans and other social interventions, to reduce poverty in the country, this high electricity tariffs, coupled with the high price of petroleum products, will spell doom for small businesses and worsen poverty in the country.

“We supporters of Buhari, nationwide, are therefore pleading for his intervention, to reverse the hardship on Nigerians by these unconscionable electricity distribution companies”, the group stated.

The group, also called on the Power Committees of the National Assembly, to improve on their oversight of the GENCOs and DISCOs, to ensure ordinary Nigerians do not continue to suffer avoidable hardship, as a result of indiscriminate hikes in tariffs.

“We also call on the Senate and House of Representatives Committees, to take their oversight more seriously, regarding the issue of affordable electricity for Nigerians. We believe that our good representatives, will kindly per heed to their constituents’ cries and intervene positively," the group submitted.