Ivorians angry at recent hikes in electricity tariff

Ivorians are demanding that the government reviews a recent hike in electricity tariffs.

Cabinet last June decided to implement a 16 percent increase in electricity tariff which was expected to be spread across three years.

But the initial roll out of the cabinet decision has seen electricity tariffs for some consumers double and in some cases triple, leading to social unrest, reports RFI.

A representative of the consumer association Soumahoro Ben Faly told RFI that something urgent needed to be done about the new tariff regime.

According to him, although household consumers were said to be excluded from the tariff review, they still bear the brunt.

President Alassane Ouattara used his May Day address to urge the public to exercise restraint while the situation was rectified.

According to the federal union of consumers, electricity tariffs have gone up by 40 percent in five years.