Protest Rocks Osogbo Over Fuel Hike, Electricity Tariff

Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, was on Friday rocked with protest over the increase in petrol price and electricity tariff.

Naija News reports that the Federal Government on Wednesday through the Petroleum Pricing Marketing Company (PPMC) increased the ex-depot price of petrol from N138 to NN151.56 per litre, triggering marketers to increase pump price from N148 to N162 per litre.

Similarly, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had approved an increase in electricity tariff with effect from September 1, 2020.

This is happening three months after the National Assembly tried to stopped the implementation increase of the tariff which was scheduled to take place in July 1, after the National Assembly prevailed on the distribution companies.

The distribution companies were asked to shelve the date to the first quarter of 2021 due to the current economic challenges the country is facing since the pandemi

However, a NERC document showed that electricity customers, except those receiving less than 12 hours of supply, would have to pay more for electricity starting from today, September 1, 2020.

Angry with the various increase, youths trooped to streets in Osogbo, capital of Osun state to protest the hike in petrol and electricity tariff.

Protesters converged at a popular park, Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Old garage and marched to Ola-Iya Junction at about 9:15am.

The youths were bearing placards in their hands with several inscriptions: “Revert fuel price now”; “Enough is Enough”; “We want a better life” and “Electricity tariff hike is evil” among others.

The described the hike in the price of PMS and approval of new tariff for electricity as “insensitivity and wickedness’ by the Federal Government.