Politics

PDP Reps insist on reversal of fuel pump price, electricity tariff

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), caucus in the House of Representatives, on Sunday, maintained its opposition and rejection of the new fuel pump price and hike in electricity tariff by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of President Muhammadu Buhari

The caucus at the end of its 18th virtual meeting at the weekend charged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately order a reversal of the hike in the pump price of fuel and electricity tariff.

The caucus leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, who stated the position in a statement at the end of the meeting, noted that the PDP caucus, during their meeting, reviewed the state of the nation, including the recent hike in pump price of fuel, electricity tariff, as well as stamp duty and telecommunication charges and implementation of 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT).

The lawmaker noted that with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused hardship globally, many responsive governments across the world have devised measures to reduce the tax burdens on their citizens.

He regretted that Nigeria, rather joining other countries to seek for ways to reduce the Pandemic induced pains on its citizens, have unfortunately chosen that, unfortunately, found this inauspicious time to implement what can only be described as strangle-hold economic policies on the lives of perceived helpless Nigerian citizens.

“More disturbing is the fact that the review in electricity tariffs and fuel prices is not commensurate with an increase in salary or income of the people”

Chinda added that the recent hike in pump price of fuel will be the third since the inception of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration in 2015.

”From an inherited pump price of N85 per litre, they have systematically increased it to an exorbitant, strangulating cost of N162 per litre. All these have been achieved without consultation or engagement with the Nigerian people, at whose pleasure he serves.

“Recall that in 2015 when this government took over the mantle of leadership, cost of crude was 93.17 to 48.66 USD; pump price of fuel in Nigeria was N85 per litre and about N500 Billion was said to be paid as subsidy annually”

“Paradoxically, in 2020 the government budgeted 450B for subsidy, whilst PPRA gave a realistic estimate of 750.81B to be spent by NNPC as subsidy in 2020, higher than N500 Billion even with almost 95% increase in pump price,” the statement noted.

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