…tasks DisCos on improved power supply before tariff increment

By Gabriel Ewepu, Abuja

AS Nigerians react to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, hiked electricity tariff for Band A customers by over 230 per cent, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, Thursday, called for downward review of the tariff to reduce burden on the poor and vulnerable in the areas under Band A.

Speaking with Vanguard, the Country Director, AAN, Andrew Mamedu, said the increment was not done at the right time based on the fact that most Band A areas do not have 20 hour power supply from the Power Distribution Companies, DisCos, to Nigerians.

Mamedu said the issue if energy security is key to the economic growth and development of the country like food security, therefore he noted that the power situation in the country is not meeting the demand of Nigerians, and added that the power situation has gone worse based on the fact that the hydro dams are low on water including other factors.

The NERC, on Tuesday, hiked electricity tariff for Band A customers by 230 percent from N68 per kilowatt hour to N225/kWh.

He said: “This is like the lowest period we have supplies across the country. But that being said the cost of gas globally is going up, of course these are businessmen but the question is how would you respond to it?

“If the country is going through a hard time, citizens are going through hard times then the question would be how would the government respond? I am aware that currently in Canada, the government is supporting energy, what they call hydro, and supporting hydro to the tune of $100 per household.

“Now, this is an economy that is more stable and better than Nigeria’s but they recognize that things are quite difficult at the moment. So, when things are difficult then the government comes in.

“I am aware that the Nigerian government just removed fuel subsidies, the exchange rate was floated, and of course, the inflationary trend is putting a whole lot of pressure on citizens, and people are very hungry.

“When you say Band A, who are the people in Band A areas? Band A, means electricity customers who receive power supply for 20 hours a day.

“For example, I stay as an individual in Band A area, I have not seen a 24 hour light for a very long time, and I doubt if I have seen 20 hour light consistently in a month.

“Now this is where NERC is supposed to play its own role, why are they not tracking and checking, why is it that citizens are shortchanged at the end of the day?

“You say Band A, are they actually Band A areas, do they get 20 hour electricity or NERC is working in collusion with or support of the Electricity Distribution Companies, is that what NERC is doing or even being on the side of the citizens not to be exploited or cheated at the end of the day?

“So, I feel that if you are having a 300 per cent increase, this is so enormous. How do you respond to it, this affects the cost of business that is small and medium scales, would people be able to survive?

“The 300 per cent is not gradual, there is no way gas has increased by 300 per cent, can NERC give a breakdown of it, what is the value we are going to be getting from it, and how is the government responding to the poor and vulnerable within that class?

“What are the consequences of all of these? People will find a way around it, businesses will push it down to Nigerians or businesses will close down and people will lose jobs, people will bypass the system.

“But clearly these are not the right things we should do as a country, we should obey the law. Government should be considerate, look at what the people want and review downwards, and it should be conditional until the DisCos are able to distribute power, and as they increase power distribution and we should be able to look at commensurate increases in tariff.”