A member of the House of Representatives, Teejay Yusuf has decried the recent increase in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS) and electricity tariff by the federal government.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency of Kogi State, in a statement, noted that the new price regime would further increase the woes of Nigerians.
On September 1, 2020, the Distribution Companies (DisCos) announced an increase in electricity tariff in their areas of coverage.
The Petroleum Pricing Marketing Company (PPMC) also increased the ex-depot price of petrol from N138 to NN151.56 per litre, triggering marketers to increase pump price from N148 to N162 per litre.
The lawmaker stated that Nigerian youths remained the hardest hit by unemployment with over 13.9 million people aged between 15 and 34 years unemployed.
He added that it was unfortunate that the only independence anniversary gift that the government can give millions of suffering masses are measured with definitive implications of immediately bringing more Nigerians into abject poverty and hopelessness than ever recorded in the history of Nigeria.
“Nigerians emerged from the Covid-19 lockdown, hoping that government’s much-expected fulfilment of its populist slogans will follow the good examples of other countries, including nearby Ghana where massive arrangements were made for the enhanced supply of water and electricity to vulnerable communities nationwide during this trying period.
“With the simultaneous hike in the prices of fuel and electricity, the woes of millions of Nigerians have been further compounded instead of celebrating Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary in few weeks,’’ he stated.
