Page 36 The President Muhammadu Buhari Federal Government, has been exposed for working in hand with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to secretly increase electricity tariff in the country, Page 36 learnt.
This was revealed by some electricity consumers on Thursday, as they kicked against what they described as the silent increase in the tariff payable by customers to Power Distribution Companies, DisCos, for electricity consumed.
They said that it was worrisome that the government was allowing DisCos to raise electricity tariff, amid the fuel scarcity across the country.
It was gathered that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, had adjusted the tariffs payable to DisCos, as some of the Power firms got a raise in their tariffs, while others had theirs reduced.
This however, was not announced or published on the website of the regulator, as it used to publish it in the past.
The President, Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, Kola Olubiyo, stated that his group took up the matter with the regulator last week.
He said that while some customers said that their tariffs were increased by N4, others could not actually tell the amount by which theirs were raised, adding that, there had been no public confirmation by the NERC.
His exact words: “They (NERC) raised it last week or there about, and is like it is a N4 adjustment. Port Harcourt and Abuja (DisCos) raised it, and in fact, I think it is across board.
“But what we are asking the regulator is that, if they approved something that is going to affect our pocket without letting us know, it is like shaving our heads in our absence.
“They said Labour was part of them, and I said is that what Labour went to negotiate for us? I was told that they have a structured table that has already been approved, and it is just for them to implement.
“But if they have approved the table as they said, are they giving us the required services? You and I know that services have not improved. We are having low generation and all manner of blame games.
“They should let us have the table that shows the bit-by-bit increment. We should have it. They are not communicating with the public.
“If they are taking a decision that will affect our disposable income, are we not supposed to be in the know? If you raise it, they will argue that are we not aware that things are increasing everyday. Is that the way we are going to work?”
Confirming the increase, a Power user in Abuja, said: “It seems the DisCos have increased their tariffs again without public notice. I recharged N5,000 today, but was given 91.7 units, instead of the usual 107.”
Speaking, an Official at the Federal Ministry of Power stated that the increase had to be implemented, because the Federal Government had withdrawn some of its financial support to the Power firms.
The Official stated: “The Federal Government has to withdraw every support, or most of its support to Power firms, such as subsidy on electricity.
“So, in a way there is adjustment in tariff, because they (Power firms) are shouldering higher cost responsibility now. However, some of them actually have reductions in their tariffs, and nobody is talking is about it.”
On whether there was any official adjustment in tariff, the source responded: “They (DisCos) have been communicated more than a month ago, since January or so.”
Efforts to get the NERC to speak on the matter were unsuccessful, as its Spokesperson, Usman Arabi, could not be reached, and a text message sent to him on the matter had yet to be replied to up till when this report was filed in.
