By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka
Abuja
The CEO/MD, Sunrise Hotels Limited, Kubwa, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and one of the Igbo Traditional Rulers in Byazhin, the FCT, Eze Mike Obiekezie has raised the alarm over the effect of about 100% increase in electricity tariff to the hospitality industry in the country.
The royal father addressed selected journalists in his office recently.
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Although, Obiekezie hailed President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the FCT Minister for making improvements in road network and electricity supplies, he was quick to seriously raise the alarm on the newly introduced electricity tariff saying: “Sincerely speaking, the new tariff is killing. Last month, I was given a bill of about N800 thousand and I begin to wonder how I will be able to pay such bill, pay my staff, take care of my family, among others. So there is every need for those in authority to see what they can do to reduce the tariff.
“I can remember that initially, the tariff was about N40.00 per kilowatt, but now, it is about N80.00. Let them look into it, because, I know that as an investor in the hospitality industry, I contribute to the economy, in my little way by giving employments to more than 15 people. If the newly introduced tariff isn’t reversed, it will affect those of us in the hospitality industry in, our businesses and employees too, in no small measure.
With the belief that the country has the money to sustain make her economy viable and accusing the leaders of suffering the masses, the business guru appealed to those in authority to build industries, companies and refineries.
Making his points, he said that if companies and industries are built, they will give employments to youths, both graduates and others who have been moving about in the streets, looking for employments. He added that it would also stop to the barest minimum, banditries, kidnappings, other unnecessary demands among other similar vices. The royal father observed that if the country has industries that can produce goods for export, they will not only strengthen the Naira at the international market, but also bring about favourable ballance of trade.
On the refineries, he said that it will help in refining Nigeria’s crude oil, instead of going to overseas for refining, adding that other countries will also come to Nigeria to do their refinings.
“I am not talking about reversing the duel subsidy removal, but the only thing those in authority will do, because this country has money and the problem we have in this country is that our leaders and they are the ones punishing us. Let them build many refineries and when they do that, instead of taking our crude oil overseas for refining, we refine it here and you will see that things will come down. But out of the wickedness of our people, they continue suffering the masses. We have the money to build them, but instead of doing that, they prefer going to overseas. It has been a routine, from A, B to C, and it is only God that will bring somebody who will change and save this country.”
Another area of concern he appealed to those in authority to not hesitate to address was to reduce the rising foreign exchange rate, saying: “Let the rate of Dollar, Pounds and other foreign currencies to Naira come down, because the high cost of living and hunger in the country are caused by the high exchange rate of the Naira to Dollar and other foreign currencies.”
On the demand being made by Nigerian workers, he had this to say: “The workers want increase in their salary and decrease in the electricity tariff, which I requested for earlier, because of the situation in the country. Everything is high, beyond imagination. It will be difficult to increase salary, when you can’t pay the old one.
“As I told you earlier, a kilowatt of electricity is about N80.00, as against about N40.00 we were paying before and I also told you that my last month’s bill was about N800 thousand. With this on the ground, it will be difficult for me to maintain my: business, workers, family, among others. Whatever the workers are demanding, the employer may not listen to them, because, the one they were being paid before couldn’t be met.
When asked how could the legislators come in to address the detoriating condition of things, he responded thus: “My brother, one of the problems of this country is the legislators’ pays. The senators and the house of representatives members should have their pays cut. I don’t know how it should be done, but either through their housing, or allowances, but their earnings should be cut.
“They are rich men already; let them have their pays cut, so that the poor masses in the country can also benefit. Most of those money they are now putting on the heads of the poor masses, if they reduce their pays, they will use them to pay for whatever that will help the poor masses.
“Recently, the organised labour went on strike, demanding for increase in their salaries, as government children without putting into consideration, those who aren’t government children as if they are not a part of this country and I wonder the efforts they are making for the interest of those who are not government children,” he observed.
Assessing performance nof the government in power for one year in office, the hospitality industrialist said: “We have recently marked Mr President’s one year in office and Democracy Day too, but as a ruler in this Byahzi, I know that rulership isn’t easy. The way things are going isn’t particular in the hospitality industry, but to all sectors generally. One year isn’t enough to assess Mr President and to me, he is doing well and I believe that in the future, things will improve.”
