Electricity tariff hike: Place public tertiary institutions on Band C, reps tell DisCos

The house of representatives has asked the electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to stop charging public tertiary institutions Band A tariff.

During a plenary session on Thursday, the lawmakers passed the resolution following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Abubakar Fulata from Jigawa state.

In April, the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved an increase in the electricity tariff for customers in the Band A classification — from N66 to N209 per kwh.

The tariff hike has been trailed by public outcry and calls for its reversal.

Customers under the Band A category are expected to have a minimum of 20 hours of electricity in a day, Band B category is 16 hours, Band C is 12 hours, Band D is 8 hours, and Band E is 4 hours.

Moving the motion, Fulata said public institutions offer education at “minimal charges” and most students have resisted attempts to hike fees.

He said the hike in electricity tariff and consequent power cut in institutions unable to pay the bill has “thrown them into total darkness, putting important equipment at risk and security of students and staff in jeopardy”.

The legislator said the “attendant riots” by students due to the inability to use important learning equipment has resulted in the closure of the affected institutions.

Fulata said grounding academic activities could lead to increased frustration among students and potentially have severe socio-economic consequences.

“If immediate measures are not taken to restore power supply and make electricity affordable in public institutions, the institutions will be forced to increase fees to meet up with current electricity costs and other bills, which would likely stir up violent resistance that may spell grave danger to the country,” Fulata said.

The motion was adopted when it was put to voice by Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker.

‘STOP USING CURRENT BAND A TARIFF TO BILL PUBLIC TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS’

Subsequently, the house asked the ministry of power, the NERC, relevant government agencies, and DisCos to “immediately stop further billing or disconnection of electricity supply to public tertiary institutions in Nigeria using the current tariff”.

The house also asked relevant agencies to “immediately” reverse the tariff of public tertiary institutions to either Band C or Band D.

Committees on university education, polytechnics and technical colleges and federal colleges of education, power, and legislative compliance were mandated by the green chamber to “come up with a workable, affordable and sustainable electricity tariff regime” for public tertiary institutions and report back within weeks for further legislative action.