The Federal Government and the organized labour have agreed to provide a tariff relief of N10.20 per kilowatt-hour for Nigerians for the next 3 months and also distribute 6 million free meters following the completion of the 2 weeks suspension of electricity tariff.
According to a tweet post from the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, this was disclosed in a communique made available to journalists after a lengthy meeting between the organized Labour and the Federal Government on Sunday evening.
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The communique disclosed that the committee adopted a two-phase approach to proffer solutions which would help resolve issues affecting the electricity sector in the medium term, whilst providing relief to customers immediately.
They stated that the immediate relief would be provided to citizens for a 2 to 3-month period (which will not exceed December 31, 2020), saying it will be the timeline for the conclusion of an extended scope of work for the Technical Committee.
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According to the communique: “Following extensive analyses, it was realised that VAT proceeds from the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) could be used to secure varying levels of relief in customer tariffs across bands A, B and C, ensuring that all customers receive some form of relief during this difficult time. Cumulatively the per kWh relief that will be provided to customers in bands A, B and C is N10.20 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), which will be distributed across the bands. The relief will be in place for the 2 to the 3-month period required for the Technical Committee to conclude its extended scope of work. It should be noted that Bands D and E tariffs were not changed, and this freeze will remain in place.”
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It was also disclosed that the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) will be accelerated. They stated: “This programme will distribute 6 million meters to Nigerians free, of charge. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) having approved the funding for this programme, the meters will begin being distributed to consumers immediately using stockpiles in-country and local assemblers. The cost of meters shall be recovered from the DISCOs.
“The 6 million meters to be procured for the NMMP will only be through local meter manufacturers and assemblers. This will create jobs and a new meter manufacturing sub-sector in the country.”
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It was also resolved that there will be proper salary protection for electricity workers. They disclosed that In implementing payment discipline measures for the DISCOs, the Government will ensure the protection of the salary for Electricity Workers saying it will be protected in the revised payment waterfall structure for the NESI. Thus; “In order to protect customers from changes in tariff during the 2-3 month period of review by the Joint Technical Committee, DISCOs will be directed to temporarily suspend customer band migration. This means that while DISCOs are expected to fulfil their Performance Improvement Plans (PIP) thereby improving the quality of service to customers, no added charges will be passed on to customers during this period. This measure is aimed at building confidence in the Service-Based Tariff structure.’’
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On the inclusion of Labour representatives in NERC, it stated, “The committee had no objection to the inclusion of Labour into the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. Government is committed to fully engage Labour in the ongoing review of the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) 2002. As a result, the Executive will recommend to the National Assembly inclusion of Labour representation into the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.”
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1. Labour & Govt have adopted these Resolutions of the Adhoc Committee I chaired. Highlights include using VAT proceeds to temporarily subsidize tariffs whilst my Committee will work for two more months to resolve other issues that may substantially affect tariff adjustments. pic.twitter.com/xbbs1QRUl8
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) October 11, 2020
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To further assure Nigerians of the new agreement, the Honourable Minister of Power, Sale Mamman took to his official Twitter handle to state that Nigerians will only pay for the energy they consume and also a plan to distribute 6million meters to homes and businesses were underway.
“To ensure that Nigerians only pay for the energy they consume, a Metering scheme that will see 6 million free meters distributed to Nigerian homes and businesses is set to commence this quarter,” Mamman tweeted.
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To ensure that Nigerians only pay for the energy they consume, a Metering scheme that will see 6 million free meters distributed to Nigerian homes and businesses is set to commence this quarter.
Good Morning and do have a productive week ahead.
— Engr. Sale Mamman (@EngrSMamman) October 12, 2020
No mention of prepaid meters. Sounds like a trojan horse offer to me
We pray it get to us…
You will never get any of those free Prepaid meter. It will be resold to Nigerians. Why can’t they just liberalize the purchase of prepaid meters. That is what works in Nigeria. See the success of telecom. No monopolies. Why the sale of distribution when you are still going to encourage monopoly? Government should stop creating corrupt channels for extort Nigerians. #SellPrepaidMetersDirect2Customers. There is no need for this waste of monies.
We this meter get to the common men or only for those in power?
What disco’s are doing right now is fraud of the highest order, how can you billed a bungalow of just 7rooms #34,000 for electricity bill for the month of September, upon sharing of power supply. Please, you people should look into this, it’s outrageous and pathetic for charging that high for just a bungalow of just seven (7) rooms. Sylvanus.
Please write them and complain of excessively charging you, let them acknowledge the receipt of the letter and take the acknowledged letter to your lawyer and sue them to court
They are mad,my compound in iyanaoworo we have been complaining that our bill is outrageous 30k a month for 5 people,only to see 66800 naira for September bill.
Its very simple bro, there’s a price tag for all discos depending on their area of coverage, you shouldn’t mind that crazy bill given to, find out from ur area the approve price payable, and pay to them, they can’t disconnect u.
THIS IS FRAUD ,
TIME TO GET RID OF THIS GOVT AND PARTY
ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN NIGERIA IS ONE OF THE NOST EXPENSIVE I HAVE SEEN AND ITS NOT EVEN CONSTANT
The people that are employed to distribute the meters should be monitored if not they will be asking for money to give the meters out.
Story of the day
Pls end disco it is yahoo Yahoo boys is since 2016 buhari have kill Nigeria
We pray that these free meters to be distributed to Nigerians are free indeed and not hoarded by the handlers. For efficiency and accountability of this program, a task force be instituted by government to ensuring that on – the – spot allocation be made to avoid diversion.
September bill is high even without constant electricity. We can’t boost of 8hrs of electricity in our area. How do we expect people to pay such bills at a time like this in our lives when even to feed is a problem. May Allah help us
You are talking 8 hours.i can’t boast of 4 hours. Now its worse, they have learnt the practice of 1 minute light. Nigeria needs change. Scam everywhere
The new tariff was announced suspended, however my bill is almost doubled from last month the the current bill. The discos are running their own show and not doing what is in the news
“This programme will distribute 6 million meters to Nigerians free of charge. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) having approved the funding for this programme, the meters will begin being distributed to consumers immediately using stockpiles in-country and local assemblers. The cost of meters shall be recovered from the DISCOs”.
This is fishy and ambiguous, how is it free if the cost shall be recovered from DISCOs? Will the DISCOs not transfer this cost to their customers eventually?
Even if it is so, will this programme continue or is this just a benefit for only 6 million Nigerians? Why just 6m?
By the way, the hike in tariff was implemented in September despite the suspension. In August my household was billed N11,904.98 for 508KWH of power, the September bill is N25,364.69 for 438KWH. That is more than 100% increase from previous month. This is ridiculously ridiculous and unfair to most Nigerian consumers.
Every day another story. Things just continue to get worst. Nobody is holding the DISCOS accountable. The so called NERC excels in juicy tilk without action. I’ve taken a case to them for adjudication. I discovered they are just in bed with the DISCOS. They do as they like without reference to the law and without consequence. Have you noticed that anytime there’s a big football match,they must take the light. That’s their arrangement with viewing center and beer palour owners, I found out. When shall we have a government and not these uncaring buccaneers?