The newly inaugurated 8th Abia State House of Assembly has urged the Federal Government to suspend the proposed hike in electricity tariff which would take effect from July 1, 2023 with a view that it will aggravate the sufferings of Nigerians.
Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, who disclosed this during plenary, Tuesday, following a matter of urgent public importance raised by member representing Obingwa West State Constituency, Hon. Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jnr. also by extension beseeched their National Assembly colleagues to intervene in passing akin resolution.
The State Assembly further requests the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, as a matter of urgency include the interest of the entire Nigerian masses in their negotiations in the current subsidy removal in the energy sector.
Earlier in his motion, Hon. Erondu Uchenna Erondu had noted with gross displeasure that the petroleum subsidy removal executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration on assumption into office has already inflicted untold hardship in the country adding that premium motor spirit, PMS, prices have skyrocketed terribly as well as prices of goods and services thereby exacerbating the sufferings of average Nigerian citizens.
He argued that Nigerians are yet to recover from the abysmal hardship afflicted on them through the fuel subsidy removal and the federal government rather than fashioning out ways to cushion the resultant effects occasioned by subsidy removal yet they want to add to the pains of the citizens by introducing another dimension of suffering through the electricity tariff hike.
Hon. Erondu Jnr further described the proposed hike in electricity tarrif as total insensitivity of the federal government on the people’s plights, adding that Nigerians are going through untold hardship.
According to him “Coming to increase the prices of electricity now will be like adding salt to a deep injury especially as no palliative measure whatsoever has been provided to ameliorate the effect of petroleum subsidy removal”.
He noted that electricity price has been secretly increased by over 100 per cent in the last two years, revealing that a unit of electricity that was sold for N35 is currently been sold at N72.67 kobo.
The lawmaker who bared his mind that he is not totally against the proposed hike in electricity tariff, suggested that the take off time of the policy by the present government led by President Tinubu is quite inappropriate adding that the implementation of that policy should be put off for now until Nigerians recover from the effects of the subsidy removal.
Hon. Rowland Dennis Chinwendu, Isiala Ngwa South State constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Ibekwe, Bende North State Constituency, Hon. Boniface Ishienyi, Ikwuano State Constituency were among other members that heaped their supports to the motion.
In another development, the House of Assembly also, as a matter of urgency called on all the security agencies in the State to rise to the security challenges bedevilling some parts of the State.
This was contained in a motion of urgent public importance raised by member representing Umunneochi State Constituency, Hon. Matthias Umeh, who disclosed that the rate of kidnapping and other criminal activities within the area is seriously alarming.
He disclosed that Umunneochi Local Government and its environs had been under the siege of kidnappers for the past two years, noting that efforts made by the local vigilante groups have all been proven abortive.
The lawmaker further disclosed that the spate of killings, abductions and criminal activities within the area had resulted in many indigenes both home and in the diaspora deserting their homes, fleeing for their lives and seeking for haven elsewhere.
He alleged that the past administration led by Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu did nothing meaningful to circumvent the situation noting that the security challenges in the area has worsened.
Hon. Umeh therefore prayed that the State government under the leadership of Dr. Alex Otti to collaborate with the federal government and employ the services of relevant security agencies to preclude the situation.
However, the 8th Assembly in the light of the motion resolved that they will interface with all the security chiefs in the State, and heads of the RUGA settlement at Lokpanta in Umunneochi Local Government to find a lasting solution to the menace.
Members representing, Bende South, State Constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Ndubuisi, Arochukwu State Constituency, Hon. Uchenna Okoro Kalu, Ikwuano State constituency, Hon. Boniface Ishienyi, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Okezie Augustine were among other members that supported the motion prior the House resolutions.
On a matter of Personal Explanations, the Speaker and member representing Aba South State constituency, Rt.Hon.Emmanuel Emeruwa, thanked his colleagues for graciously electing him as the Speaker of the 8th Assembly on June 15th, 2023 during their inaugural plenary.
He reassured them that they elected the right personality to lead the Assembly adding that they should expect a peaceful House of Assembly with full breed democratic style of leadership.
On the other hand, the speaker announced the following lawmakers as members of the 8th Assembly Selection Committee, Rt.Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, (Speaker), Rt.Hon. Okezie Augustine, (Deputy Speaker), Hon. Lewis Obianyi,(PDP, Ukwa East) Hon. Uchenna Okoro Kalu,(LP Arochukwu) Hon.Boniface Ishienyi,(Ikwuano) Hon.Fine Ahuama,(Osisioma South) and Hon. Anderson Akaliro, (Umuahia North) The Clerk of the House, will serve as the Secretary of the Committee.
