By Opeyemi Adeoti
Irked by the incessant hike in electricity tariff, members of the Association of Hotel Owners in Kwara State yesterday held a brief protest.
Speaking with newsmen at the Ilorin Forum office of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Ilorin, the President of the association, Alhaji Dauda Akande said the peaceful protest was to register their displeasure at the outrageous and insensitive hike of electricity tariff by Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).
In his words, “In its recent upward review of its tariffs, IBEDC outrageously and insensitively increased the electricity tariff of its band A customers, under which many of our members falls, from N74 to N225 per unit.
“The company later effected a marginal downward review to N205 per unit.
“This afterthought marginal reduction is grossly inadequate and many of our businesses cannot survive this tariff hike under the prevailing economic situation of our country.
“If IBEDC fails to effect a substantial downward review of its tariffs, many businesses would collapse and there would be inevitable job losses across the country.
“This would only compound the current economic challenges of our dear country.”
The president therefore called for a substantial downward review of the electricity tariffs so as to prevent the imminent collapse of businesses and job losses in the State.
He also implored the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission to intervene without further delay in order to save businesses and jobs.
“The presiding member, Nigeria Electricity Commission Forum, Ilorin should please forward our submitted letter of protest to Nigeria Electricity Commission head office at Abuja for the urgently needed intervention,” Akande pleaded.
Collaborating the words of the President, a member of the association and General Manager of a popular hotel in Ilorin, Mr. Funso Ibrahim lamented that, “Before now we pay six million monthly for electricity bill but due to this hike we now pay twenty-five million this is absurd.
“Where do they want us to get that, how much are we making? Before you pay federal inland revenue, you pay kwara State internal revenue, we pay local government. Hotel and hospitality business is the most taxed bussiness in the country.
“There is no operator that can survive this hike, invariably you are telling me to multiply my room rate by four so who’s going to pay that? We will still pay salaries and all these taxes. What they are telling us is to go and fold up,” he lamented.
Holistic Infos reports that the association members were received by the Forum Secretary.
However in a telephone interview with the head of the Forum, Mr Amos Ajanaku, he acknowledged receipt of the protest letter from the Hotel Owners assuring that it will be forwarded to the appropriate quarters.
