Wednesday 16 May 2012

Hike in electricity tariff may cause violence –Senator


Former Ogun State Deputy Governor Adegbenga Kaka


Hello Friends!


 
Former Ogun State Deputy Governor Adegbenga Kaka has warned that the proposed electricity tariff could trigger violence in the country.

The increase will begin on June 1.

He said this on Tuesday during the activities to mark his 60th birthday and the inauguration of the Adegbenga Sefiu Kaka Foundation in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.

Kaka, who represents Ogun East in the National Assembly, therefore called on the Federal Government to shelve the plans, saying it was against national development.

According to him, it will be callous and insensitive for the government to expect ordinary Nigerians to continue to subsidise its inefficiency in the power sector by raising electricity charges.

The senator said, “We need good leadership. We want a situation whereby electricity will work. The multiplier effect of electricity is employment generation and artisanal work productivity.

“It is so enormous. But in a situation whereby we don’t have such a thing that is taken for granted in other climes, that it is a luxury to us here, something must be wrong with us.

“On top of this now we keep on hearing that the government is endorsing an increase in tariff on a product that is not available to the people.

“So, if we are not careful, we will be moving towards a revolution in this country. It’s becoming imminent, it’s staring us in the face. Those who are supposed to know have known. People like Ibrahim Babangida and Theophilus Danjuma have spoken and everybody has seen that we are moving towards a dangerous trend. So, it is better we, get things sorted out before they escalate into anarchy.”

The Action Congress of Nigeria chief advised that for the government to avert an imminent revolution, it must shelve the plan and improve power supply in order to create employment.

Kaka added, “If it is possible to ban generator importation, I can assure you that within three months, we’ll have regular electricity. The problem militating against the refineries is the cabal which we have over-flogged. We’ve heard what has been done with our money called subsidy money and we need to get to the roots, get some people jailed to serve as deterrent to others.”

On the empowerment programme for the people of the area, he said the Adegbenga Sefiu Kaka Foundation had given N20m to various micro-finance banks from the nine local government areas under the Ogun East Senatorial District for disbursement as interest-free loans.

Culled from The Punch.

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Simply Cheska...

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