'Increase in electricity tariff unavoidable' - Minister says

dimeji akinloye

May 31, 2016 7:39 PM

The unions expressed displeasure at the increase, saying they were not consulted before the decision to increase tariff was made.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola

The Federal Government has reaffirmed that the increase in electricity tariff has come to stay.

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) stated that the National Assembly has already empowered the National Electrical Regulatory Commission (NERC) to fix tariff in the country.

He said this while speaking at a public hearing at the Senate, which was attended by officials from the labour unions in the electricity sector.

Fashola explained that the country cannot enjoy steady power supply if electricity tariff is not increased, insisting that the increase is inevitable.

The Senate however said that the Federal Government needs to urgently address some critical problems in the power sector.

The Upper Chamber said it is not insensitive to the plight of Nigerians, noting that the hike in electricity tariff without a reciprocal increase in electricity supply in many areas in the country is a bitter pill for many Nigerians to swallow.

READ: FG to diversify electricity generation using Nuclear energy - Fashola

The Senate had in February 2016 asked Fashola, NERC and electricity distribution companies to immediately suspend the new electricity tariff that have seen charges raised by over 40 per cent.

It also directed its Committee to hold a public hearing to get the views of stakeholders on the electricity tariff hike and how to move the sector forward.

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