• Tuesday, April 16, 2024
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PDP querries Buhari’s hike in electricity tariff, ban on foreign medical treatment 

PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blatantly rejected the over 200 percent increase in electricity tariff announced by the Buhari-led administration and said it as draconian as it is completely against the interest and wellbeing of Nigerians.
The party want the Federal Government to immediately rescind the decision which it described as obnoxious and a very provocative policy.
Also, it urged the National Assembly to rescue Nigerians from such draconian policy by deploying its statutory legislative powers to call the Federal Government to order in the interest of the nation.
This coming just as the PDP has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment pontificating Nigerians on overseas treatment is laughable, and stated that such posit by Mr. President is unjustifiable, self-indicting to further raise public apprehensions on high-level deceits in governance.
PDP noted that Buhari should bow his head in shame because he patronizes foreign hospitals for treatment and even check-ups more than all other Nigerians.
The opposition party said Buhari has failed to provide adequate healthcare in the country, and should not at any instance question other citizens against foreign treatment.
This was contained in a statement by Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s spokesperson, issued on Sunday in Abuja.
It described the increase in electricity tariff as a furtherance of the fleecing of Nigerians, who are already overburdened and groaning under the weight of high costs, economic repression and heavy taxes foisted by the insensitive APC administration.
“It is lamentable that Nigerians, who are already suffering the devastating negative impact of the recent increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5 percent to 7.5 by the APC administration, are now being further suppressed with increased electricity tariff.
“Our party holds that the increase in electricity tariff, under the prevailing harsh economic conditions, is injurious to the wellbeing of Nigerians as it will further stress the productive sector and lead to an upsurge in the cost of regular and essential goods and services, including food, medicine, housing, education and other critical needs.
“This APC policy, if allowed, will worsen the suffering of Nigerians as it will put more stress on already overburdened families, cripple businesses, result in job losses and exacerbate the prevailing frightening unemployment rate under the Buhari administration.
“Moreover, the PDP invites Nigerians to note that this toxic and distasteful “new year gift” by the APC administration, at a time Nigerians are coming back from yuletide festivities, shows that the APC is indeed unfeeling, insensitive and have no iota of regard for the sensibilities and wellbeing of our citizens,” Ologbondiyan stated.
The PDP further insisted that any administration that has the interest of the people at heart should provide alternatives or hold consultations with the people before imposing such harsh tariff on its citizenry.
Meanwhile, the PDP has maintained that it do not approve of proliferated foreign medical tourism, especially by leaders and public office holders, but it is concerned that a leader who has failed to lead by example, and whose government has neglected and wrecked the healthcare systems, lacks all rectitude to issue directives against foreign treatment.
Consequently, the PDP urged President Buhari to show example by patronizing a Nigerian public hospital on his next medical appointment so that he can experience the healthcare reality that our citizens have been subjected to under his government.
“Mr President can then discover that our health system has suffered untold neglect under his watch, leading to dilapidated infrastructure, empty drug shelves, decrepit and worn-out equipment, brain drain and a demoralized workforce worse than his 1983 recollections.
“It is even more disheartening that all the investments and robust programmes of successive PDP administration, including the comprehensive National Strategic Health Development Plan, Saving One Million Lives Initiatives, National Health Insurance Scheme, among others, have been degraded and impaired by the dysfunctional APC administration.
“Nigerians recall that under the PDP administration, new technologies and modern medical equipment were available in most federal medical institutions where cases such as cancer, kidney, heart and brain ailments for which Nigerians are now mostly seeking overseas treatment were effectively handled in our country.
“Our health care would have continued to flourish but for the disruption of PDP’s people-based healthcare programs by the Buhari-led APC administration.
“The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has now become the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) of the corrupt cabal in the Buhari Presidency, which has not been able to account for the looting of billions of naira saved for healthcare needs of Nigerians,” it stated.