These are indeed tough times for Nigerians. Jolts and volts are being unleashed on them from hither and tither, with little buffers to absorb the shocks. The streaming challenges pile up to quite a weight; it seems there is no end to the onslaught.
As the school year came to a close last Friday, the joy of parents embracing their children back home from learning was jarred by the rude news of a further rise in the cost of living – the cost of education.
Many educational institutions have announced marked increases in tuition and other fees. Others still are planning to do so. It is said that the educational institutions are trying to make up for the impact of government’s fuel subsidy removal on their running costs.
At the weekend, primary and secondary schools in Edo and some other states, shut down for the long holiday with messages to parents and guardians of pupils to brace up for marked increases in fees in the coming session, starting September.
The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, announced an upward review of school fees for new students into its secondary schools otherwise known as Federal Unity Colleges, from N45,000 to N100,000.
The message came in a directive from the office of the Director of Senior Secondary Education Department of the ministry, with reference number ADF/120/DSSE/I, dated May 25, 2023, and addressed to all principals of Federal Unity Colleges.
It stated that new students are expected to pay N100,000 instead of the previous N45,000.
The increment will affect virtually all aspects and activities of the schools, including tuition and boarding, uniform, textbooks, exercise books, prospectus, caution fee, identity cards, stationery, clubs and societies, sports, extra lesson and insurance, among others.
“Please be informed that the ministry has approved only the under-listed fees and charges for all Unity Colleges,” the memo read in part. As if that were not enough, the University of Lagos, Akoka, also reportedly increased fees for undergraduates.
Students of the institution previously paid N19,000 for tuition, but the management has now fixed N190,250 for students studying Medicine, while for those taking courses that require laboratories and studios, the fees are N140,250.
On another score, the hearts of sundry Nigerians have become troubled by reported plans by Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to implement an increase in tariffs as inflation bites at every turn.
On 25 June, it was reported that DisCos, in a note to their customers, had informed of an increase in electricity tariff effective 1 July.
The DisCos’ statement suggested that the tariff increase is a response to the floating of the naira and aims to ensure that the electricity industry remains financially viable and sustainable in the face of currency challenges.
“Under the MYTO 2022 guidelines, the previously set exchange rate of N441/1 dollar may now be revised to approximately N750/1 dollar, impacting the tariffs associated with your electricity consumption.
“For customers within bands B and C, with supply hours ranging from 12 to 16 per day, the new base tariff is expected to be N100 per kWh while Bands A with (20 hours and above) and B (16 to 20 hours) will experience comparatively higher tariffs.
“For customers with a prepaid meter, we encourage you to consider purchasing bulk energy units before the end of this month as this will allow you to take advantage of the current rates and potentially make savings before the new tariffs come into effect. For those on post-paid (estimated) billing, a significant increment is imminent in your monthly billing, starting from August,” said the AEDC statement.
IKEDC and EKEDC were also reported to have released similar press statements.
Soon after, however, AEDC informed its customers to disregard the publication saying it was yet to get approval to commence the tariff hike.
“Dear Esteemed Customers, Please disregard the communication circulating in the media regarding the review of electricity tariffs. Be informed that no approval for such increments has been received,” the company said in a Twitter post.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has rejected the move by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to approve any increase in electricity tariff.
The resolution followed a motion by the Deputy Minority Whip, Aliyu Madaki, at plenary in Abuja on Thursday.
Contributing to the motion, Babajimi Benson (APC-Lagos) and Olumide Osoba (APC-Ogun) called for caution in view of the pains Nigerians are going through occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
Still, reports have been circulating at the weekend, of DISCOs attempting to press forward with the tariff increase.
All said, following the scrapping of the fuel subsidy and the attendant price hikes on petrol and subsequently on prices of food, transportation and sundry goods and services, there is clearly a need for government at the federal to step off the pedal for a while and give the people a respite, so as not to push the people beyond the brink.
Furthermore, there is a need for the Federal Government to coordinate the words and actions of its component agencies, until ministers are appointed into place, to avoid discordant tunes.
