Gbajabiamila: If electricity tariff must be increased, estimated billing has to end

Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, has expressed concern over the planned increase in electricity tariff, saying such a measure must lead to stable power supply.

Writing via his Twitter handle on Friday, Gbajabiamila also said such an increase must be cost-reflective, and not another means to exploit electricity consumers.

He added that it must also be done only after the bill criminalising estimated billing has been signed into law.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had announced a review of the multi-year tariff order (MYTO) 2015 and the minimum remittance order (MRO).

Following the directive from NERC, electricity distribution companies (DisCos) said from April 11, they will adjust their tariffs upwards, a breakdown earlier reported by TheCable.

A lot of Nigerians condemned the planned increase, but the presidency said the matter is not within the purview of President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene.

Gbajabiamila said there is no guarantee that after the tariff hike, the distribution companies will not “continue with the nefarious practice of bills estimation or provide uninterrupted power supply”.

“I believe @nassnigeria (national assembly) should ensure that any increase in electricity tariff if at all should be cost-reflective and not just a whimsical increase with no empirical basis,” he added

“Also, any such increase should only be made after the proposed amendment to the law criminalizing estimated billing is signed into law.”

There is no guarantee that after any electricity tariff hike the Discos will not continue with the nefarious practice of bills estimation or provide uninterrupted power supply.

— Femi Gbajabiamila (@femigbaja) January 10, 2020

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I believe @nassnigeria should ensure that any increase in electricity tariff if at all should be cost-reflective and not just a whimsical increase with no empirical basis.

— Femi Gbajabiamila (@femigbaja) January 10, 2020

Also, any such increase should only be made after the proposed amendment to the law criminalizing estimated billing is signed into law. I intend to meet and discuss this sequence and other conditions with the Attorney General of the Federation and other relevant authorities.

— Femi Gbajabiamila (@femigbaja) January 10, 2020

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The speaker added that he intends to meet with the attorney-general of the federation and other relevant authorities to discuss the conditions and how to resolve the issue.