It Is Disheartening What Is Happening In Nigeria Now

BY AYANWOLE OLUWASEYI

Nigeria in presently at an unbearable state. Waking up to sudden hike in electricity tariff by more than 50% is possible only because of the kind of leadership that Nigeria has under Muhammdu Buhari’s administration.

This increment took effect from 1 September, meaning electricity charges would be more but giving them less power supply. And this has made people in Nigeria who do not have a prepaid meter suffer more.

Nigerians tend to spend more in the recent days due to rampant blackout in the country even as the distribution companies claim to be working to stop it.

In the recent, people have been getting fuel at high costs,  up to N151 per litre so as to operate their gadgets.

Why should one buy 5 litres of petrol for #800? When did Nigeria get to that sick-stricken stage? All these issues are being traced to the current administration which Nigerians had believed would bring the ‘change’ as promised in 2015.

The situation of things currently is making Nigerians bite their fingers in regret.

First was the hike in prices of food products in the market, transportation, then the rise in dollar rate, before electricity and fuel prices hikes followed.

This is really disheartening what is happening in Nigeria, considering the situation in other countries.

If you look around, there have been relief measures such as, suspension of utility bills’ payment, tax reliefs, cash handouts and payroll support for businesses in other countries, not so in Nigeria. Ghana’s government bore the cost of electricity for consumer during its lockdown period.

According to the ESI Africa, a trade journal, as part of their Covid-19 crisis responses, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo, Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo have also offered free electricity to some segments of the population.

South Africa’s Free Basic Electricity Scheme provides limited 50 Kwh free electricity per month to the poor and vulnerable households

As a giant of Africa which Nigeria claims to be, but mostly act the opposite way, there is need to quickly resolve the energy sector crisis which has significant impact on the people?

One should enjoy what one is paying for, the Multi-year Tariff Order *(MYTO) was introduced to take care of different people but the frame work seems to have failed.

As times goes, Nigerians should take the challenge at private and personal levels. Individuals, corporate bodies and establishments should produce power and sell. Many institutions are currently doing this which is appreciated. States should also take charge by generating power for their people.

READ ALSO: ‘See, Na Our Money Dem Burn So For Ondo State’

Nigerians should stop being enslaved; asking people to pay more without enough electricity supply is a serious problem that legislators should reject as representative of the people.

A word is enough for the wise.