Former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, on Tuesday, advanced reasons why many Nigerians are not convinced by Federal Government’s explanations on its recent decision to increase electricity tariff.
Sanusi gave the reasons in his keynote address at the 5th Kaduna Investments Summit.
He said many Nigerians were not convinced by explanations about the electricity tariff hike because the government was “thinking of it from a consumption perspective.”
DisCos had on September 1 announced the implementation of a new Service Reflective Tariff Plan across their franchise areas.
But Sanusi said many Nigerians, including traders, would be willing to pay double if electricity was regular and boosted their sales.
He said, “On tariff use and compensation, the government is not having that conversation in a manner that convinces people.
“People need to understand, you complain about tariffs because you are thinking of it from a consumption perspective. Look at electricity as a critical import into production, productivity, earnings, as an economic resource.
“Look at how much money you can make. There is a difference between not earning a thing and not earning something, between extreme poverty and rising above the poverty line.
“People will pay anything for electricity if they knew how to earn from it. When people cry, it is because they are paying for power and earning nothing from it. If you go to a village and sell for N100 per kilowatt and the trader is making four times more with it, he will pay twice.”
The former emir also urged Federal and state governments to ensure a link between infrastructural and economic development.
Sanusi added, “You have to make sure your projects are linked, you don’t just build a road here, a rail line there, an airport there without knowing how they are going to translate into economic gains.
“When we build airports, it should not be because people want to fly from Abuja to Kano for a wedding.”