Coalition for Affordable and Regular Electricity (CARE), has decried the current epileptic power supply and fuel scarcity,saying Nigerians are subjected to monumental suffering on account of the twin issue.
The group in a statement by its national coordinator,Chinedu Bosah,and secretary,Monsuru Shoyombo,said the hardship is unbearable in view of the fact that the only alternative for a number of people is the reliance on private expensive electricity generation through generator sets.
The group said,the ongoing fuel scarcity has made it extremely difficult to generate electricity at homes and businesses and as a consequence, the cost of living has increased.
According to the group,it is unthinkable that Nigeria is stewing in crisis despite a global comparative advantage it is supposed to have in electricity through gas, abundant solar, wind and hydro reserves while it is also a major crude oil producer.
It said since November 2013 when the power sector was privatized, the story has been constant darkness, tariff hikes, outrageous estimated (crazy) billings and bailout of irresponsible and inefficient power sector companies.
It added that between 2005 the process of privatizing began and today, over $15 billion has been expended on the power sector including the senseless bailouts.
It maintained that the current fuel scarcity and poor electricity supply are further evidence of the failure of the Buhari-led regime and the capitalist policies (privatization, deregulation etc).
It said:”These two sectors are overwhelmingly under the control of the private sector profiteers with the self-serving government playing a bell boy role as so-called regulator. Privatisation and deregulation have only put more money in the pockets of a few privileged and greedy individuals leaving the vast majority of the working masses in more misery and crises.
” The irony of it all is that the same Buhari-led capitalist government often claims paucity of funds when it comes to public education, healthcare and basic amenities and as a result these critical sectors are underfunded. Besides, the government keep borrowing trillions of Naira only to squander most of it including public funds generated on white elephant projects and bailout of weak and inefficient private companies and capitalist elite.
“Coalition for Affordable and Regular Electricity (CARE) calls on Nigerian workers and electricity consumers across communities to resist tariff increment and struggle for massive public investment, free prepaid meters for all consumers and uninterrupted power supply. The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) must end their strategic partnership with the self-serving bourgeois ruling elite and mobilize the working class and the poor masses to reverse the privatization and deregulation policies.
“Fundamentally, the way forward is the renationalization (public ownership) of the power and oil sectors, massive public investments and democratic control and management by the working class and consumers”
1037500cookie-checkGroup Decries Electricity Supply Hitch, Fuel Scarcity
