The Senate, on Tuesday, asked the Ministry of Power,  the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Distribution Companies (Discos) to withdraw the new electricity tariff imposed on consumers from February 1.The lawmakers, who debated a motion moved by Senator Suleiman Nazif, said due process was not followed in taking the decision.

The lawmakers asked the Committee on Labour and Productivity to organise a public hearing involving the NERC, the Discos and the organised labour.

Senator Nazif, who  moved the motion, stated that arbitrary increase in tariff by the Discos failed to follow the stipulated processes contained in Section 76 of Power Sector Reform Act 2005.

He argued that the new tariff would have a multiplier effect on the economy,  adding that the manufacturing companies were being forced to pay more.

He said most of the consumers were not metered, contrary to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) of November 1, 2013, which, he said, indicated  that within 18 months, all consumers would have been metered.

According to him, the Discos were guilty of continuously exploiting Nigerians.

He said: “The distribution companies have continued to exploit Nigerians by estimated billing system for the majority of consumers, while deliberately refusing to make pre-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 a 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, 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, Senator Ike Ekweremadu,  who contributed to the motion, stated that the new tariff was wicked and needed to be randomly condemned.

He also stated that the tariff increase amounted to troubling the hapless Nigerians, who, he said, were already wallowing in abject poverty and acute state of insecurity.

The Senate, thereafter, asked the stakeholders in the electricity sector to suspend the new tariff, while also asking its committees to conduct further investigations into the matter.

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