The Senate on Tuesday directed the immediate reversal of the recent hike in electricity tariff announced by the Nigerian Electricity ...
The Senate on Tuesday directed the immediate reversal of the recent
hike in electricity tariff announced by the Nigerian Electricity
Regulatory Commission.
The upper chamber, gave the directive while adopting a two-prayer
motion moved by the All Progressives Congress member representing
Bauchi North, Senator Suleiman Nazif.
The senate also asked its committee on Labour to carefully review
the law establishing NERC with a view to making it a strong regulatory
body that will ensure that both the
consumer and investor will be
treated fairly and equitably.
It also mandated the committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity
to organise a public hearing of stakeholders, including the Ministry of
Power; the NERC; DISCOS; and GENCOS so that an acceptable way of
resolving all issues relating to the sector could be effectively
resolved.
Nazif lamented the alleged arbitrary increase of the tariff and
insisted that due process was not followed as stipulated in Section 76
of the Power Sector Reform Act 2005.
He also argued that the new tariff would have a multiplier effect on
the Nigerian economy with the manufacturing companies being forced to
pay more for power consumption.
He added that most consumers were not provided with meter in
accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding dated November 1, 2013.
According to him, the document stipulated that within 18 months of
gestation period, all consumers would have been provided with meter.
He further accused the Discos of continuously exploiting Nigerians and increasing their burdens.
He said, “The distribution companies have continued to exploit
Nigerians by estimated billing system for the majority of consumers
while deliberately refusing to make ore-paid meters available.
“Privatisation in any part of the world is meant to inject fresh
funds into the concerned sector and not to impose ridiculous tariff on
helpless masses.
“The increase is only intended to protect the investment of select
few and not to serve the interest of Nigerian masses who are already
battling with the prevailing economic recession. The increase in tariff
will pave way for additional heavy burden on consumers and coupled with
challenges in the economy.
“It will adversely affect the purchasing power of Nigerian workers
and the entire Nigerian masses and by extension, aggravate restiveness
in the country.”
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, described the increase as wicked and unfortunate. He said the new tariff should be randomly condemned and immediately withdrawn in the interest of hapless citizens of Nigeria.
He added that troubling the citizens who are already wallowing in
abject poverty and acute state of insecurity, should not be encumbered
with further hike in electricity tariff unless there is a plan to
frustrate the the people.
Also speaking on the motion, Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West), said
the recent increase was the fourth since the privatisation exercise was
concluded.
He added that whereas Discos always hinge such increase on moves to
improve power supply, yet there is no stable power supply neither are
metres made available.
Source: The Punch
