Falana slams federal government for planned increase in power rates

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By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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Ado-Ekiti — Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has knocked the Federal Government’s planned increase in electricity tariffs, insisting that Nigerians should not be made to bear the burden of years of policy failures and inefficiency in the country’s power sector.

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Falana said the government must first fulfil its promise of providing stable and uninterrupted electricity before contemplating any further increase in tariffs.

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Addressing journalists in Ilawe-Ekiti over the weekend, the senior lawyer argued that Nigerians deserve reliable electricity services rather than higher costs for poor power supply.

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According to him, President Bola Tinubu had promised Nigerians uninterrupted electricity during his election campaign, stressing that such a commitment should take precedence over any proposal to increase electricity charges.

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He criticised what he described as plans by the government to completely withdraw from its responsibilities in the electricity sector after privatising the distribution companies.

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Falana alleged that the owners of the electricity companies maintain close ties with those in government, arguing that such relationships should not be used to shield the companies from accountability.

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The legal practitioner maintained that the Federal Government should consider taking back control of the companies in the public interest if the current privatisation arrangement has failed to deliver efficient electricity supply.

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He said the government has a responsibility to ensure that the power sector functions effectively instead of transferring the consequences of failed policies to ordinary citizens through increased tariffs.

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Falana therefore urged the Federal Government to prioritise reforms that would guarantee efficient electricity generation, transmission and distribution rather than imposing additional financial burdens on consumers.

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His words, “The government should provide uninterrupted supply of electricity. That was a promise made by President Bola Tinubu when he was a candidate.

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“The government wants to withdraw completely. Having sold our electricity companies, the government cannot be allowed to leave Nigerians in the lurch.

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“Those who bought the electricity companies are friends of the government.

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“The government should either nationalise all the electricity companies and ensure that they operate optimally, but you cannot punish Nigerians for the carelessness, irresponsibility or connivance of the government”.

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