Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has expressed concern over incessant and exorbitant review of electricity tariff by the Federal Government.
It therefore called on the government to direct Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, to urgently undertake a downward review of the entire multi- year tariff structure in the interest of Nigerians.
In a statement, weekend, by its President, Abdulwahhed Omar, the NLC expressed shock that the tariff had arbitrarily been increased from N225 to over N700, even without steady power supply.
“This review, whether done suddenly or in advance, is without justification or rationale and stand condemned as it will negate whatever gains expected to be recorded by the much vaunted reform in the power sector.
“Congress believes that the multi-year tariff structure as designed by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, tacitly approved by government, only protects the interest of investors in the power sector and has little or no consideration for consumers, most of whom are poor and incapable of paying.
“It is exploitative and saddening that these mindless reviews are not accompanied by commensurate improved services. If anything, electricity service delivery has plummeted over the years with consumers compelled to pay exorbitant tariff rates for incompetence, poor service and fraud.
“Judging from the yearly percentage increase (which covers a fifteen year period in the first instance), it is predictable that less than ten percent of the present consumers will be able to pay these outrageous tariffs in the next few years.
“The consequences of structuring electricity tariffs that are unreasonable and unaffordable have grave implications for the economy and the people. This is a sad commentary on the power reform process, as it speaks volumes about its transparency, viability and ability to deliver in the interest of the nation,” the statement read.
NLC argued that a viable power sector was key to revamping and repositioning the economy, stressing that nothing should be done to undermine this objective, but noted that the reforms in the sector should be done with the masses at heart.
“A reform process which does not carry along its people or protect their interest has only one direction to go – the abyss – and stands condemnable,” it added.
This Nigerian government is seriously determined to make life unliveable for Nigerians. It was only in June last year that they increased electricity tariff and promised at that time to improve power supply. They haven’t done that, yet they have again increased the tariff beginning from this July month without giving Nigerian any notice as they did last year under the MYTO regime. In this new increases, the scam they call fixed charge or maintenance fee has been increased from N500 to N700, while electricity consumers now have to pay N13.82 per unit consumption from N12.82, just like that without notice, even when we are having more darknesses than their light. At N700 fixed charge alone, they will be making about N1 billion per month from Nigerians for doing nothing (whether they supply light or not). This is robbery and it must be stopped. What is maintenance fee? Do we have a caring government? My answer is No, so we must rise against this injustice and scam.